Fade to Black
by xxbabyxox
Summary: Mikan Sakura,the secret weapon of Gauken Alice, and ...wait what? They've discovered Mikan's SEC alice, and now she's been ordered to train with Persona, secretly. Now she must hide it from everyone, but can she really? COMPLETE! NxM
1. Out of Control

Disclaimer: I don't anything but the story line.

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Prologue:

On a calm Monday morning, a thirteen year old girl leaned against of a large Sakura tree, with her eyes closed, softly singing a melody. Mikan Sakura was the girl. She was dressed a cute light pink dress, but had no where to go. Her friends all seemed to be too busy to play with her. Hotaru, had kicked her out of her lab to work on some inventions, Natsume had gone on a mission, and Ruka was helping the elementary school branch take care of the animals using his alice. And so, the nullifier was left alone, with no where to go, and nothing to do but sit under her favorite Sakura tree. _'I wish that I had a hobby like my friends do. Jii-chan had a hobby. He used to weave beautiful pictures.' _The girl frowned at the thought of her grandfather. She missed him terribly, and the letter every few months or so that she was receiving for him just wasn't enough. However, she knew that her 'father' was doing the best that he could for her. Mikan had no trouble saying that she loved this academy, but she also hated it. It made Natsume sad, it trapped kids from seeing their parents, and it also trapped Mikan from seeing her Jii-chan. But, it also had its benefits too, and Mikan, being an optimistic person, chose to focus on those.

"Help!" She heard what sounded like a boy cry out in the distance. Instinctively, Mikan jumped up from where she was sitting and sprinted towards the voice. It lead her to an empty sidewalk, all that was present was a mini tornado. "Help! My alice is out of control!" She heard the voice wine again, and Mikan gasped.

"I can help." She said aloud. "I have to help him. I can nullify his alice." Closing her eyes, Mikan started to sprint towards the tornado, and jumped into it head first, emitting the nullifying alice… or so she thought. _Take it away!_ She screamed in her mind as she began to get whipped around by wind, and she and a red headed boy got slammed against the ground, the tornado gone. Mikan's head exploded with an unexplainable amount a pain, and her abdomamen squeezed in, making it difficult for Mikan to breathe. "Ouch…"

"Thank you so much!" The boy cried, getting up. "Maybe now I can…" He trailed off, and his eyes suddenly flew to Mikan. "You're the nullifying girl right?" He asked, and Mikan nodded weakly. "Stop using your Alice." Mikan frowned.

"I'm not using my alice." Mikan breathed, and the boy's eyes widened and he grabbed her shoulders.

"What happened to my alice, give me back my alice!" He said, panicky. "What did you do with it?"

"I didn't do anything!" Mikan gasped for breath.

"Give it back! Give it back!" He yelled, squeezing Mikan's shoulders and she yelped in pain.

"You're hurting me!" She wailed and threw the boy backwards. He landed on the pavement with a loud thud. Mikan put a hand to her forehead, trying to make the pain stop. She let out a light moan.

"Mikan!" The pitter patter of feet came from behind them. Suddenly, Natsume's worried face was hovering over hers before it all went black.

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so...? Should I continue this or not? Review please, i'll add another chapter but then i won't add anymore until someone review mes!

love,

Baby


	2. Deal with the Devil

Hey everyone! Please review!! i'm soo excited that summer is almost here?! YAY!!

Love,

Baby

Chapter 1

Beep. Beep. Beep. Mikan's eyes fluttered open and immediately flew to the figure who was holding her hand with a firm grim. "Natsume-kun…" The boy was currently asleep, but he was there with her in the hospital. "Hospital? Why am I in-" Natsume began to wake at the sound of voice, but Mikan didn't attempt to lower in fact, if any thing it got louder. "The hospital? What happened to me? What happened to the boy? What happ-"

"Oi, polka dots." Natsume interrupted, glaring at her. "No need to wake the whole hospital with your annoying little voice." But, truly, Natsume was smiling on the inside. Mikan, was finally awake. She had actually been out for about three days.

"Natsume-kun," Mikan's voice dropped down to whisper. "Why am I here?" The poor girl was so terrified that she didn't even bother to correct Natsume on calling her by her underwear prints.

"Alice overuse." Natsume said, his voice dripping with disappointment. "Baka, do you even realize how much you worried everyone? What where you even _thinking_ on trying to use your useless alice that much?"

"My alice is _not_ useless. It helped get his alice under control," Mikan said haughtily, and Natsume just blinked at Mikan.

"Polka dots," He said, squeezing Mikan's hand. "You nullified his alice."

"Yeah," Mikan said nodding, but Natsume sighed.

"Baka, you permanently nullified his alice. He can't use it anymore." Mikan's mouth dropped in shock.

"W-What? But I don't know how to do that," She said, pulling into a full wail. "I don't want him to get kicked out of GA,"

The door swung open and three teachers walked in, making Mikan abruptly fall into an eerie silence. Natsume clenched his fists and glared at him all.

"_Persona_," He spat. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Natsume-kun please leave," Narumi said giving an upbeat smile. "We just have to speak with Mikan about something."

"No." Natsume protested. "I'm not leaving her in here alone with you-"

"it would be unfortunate," Persona said suddenly. "If Aoi ended up in this hospital too, wouldn't it my Kuro Neko?" Natsume too, like Mikan, fell into a hushed silence. He stood up, and quickly walked out of the room, leaving Mikan, Narumi, Jinno, and Persona in the room.

"Mikan," Narumi said gently. "Do you know how you got rid of that boy's alice?"

Mikan looked from Persona, to Jinno, to Narumi nervously, biting her lip. The poor girl was terrified, and she wondered what her punishment would be.

"Well?" Jinno finally snapped. "We don't have all day no-star, just tell us how you did it so we can get his alice back!" He yelled, conguring a ball of lightning in his hand.

"I don't know!" Mikan whispered. "I just wanted it to go away and…" She trailed off, watching as the teachers pondered in their own ways.

"Your father, Mikan, had the Alice called the Steal, Erase, Copy alice, also known as SEC." Narumi said after awhile. "With this alice, he could steal, copy, or erase any alice he wanted to." Mikan nodded eagerly. Whenever people talked about her parents, as rare as it was, they almost always spoke of her mother.

"Yes, he was the Special Abilities teacher when we where just students back then. He refused to train his alice properly, what a shame." Persona said. "He could've been a valuable weapon of the academy."

"You most likely have that alice also, Sakura-san." Jinno said. "Please before you passed out, tell us what you felt."

"Everything hurt," Mikan said slowly. "Especially in my stomach."

"Stealing the wind alice," Persona said, clearly amused. "Must've hurt more than you're used too. It's one of the strongest alice's out there."

"I didn't steal it!" Mikan protested. "Jii-chan told me to never steal _anything_."

"Oh really?" Persona cocked an eyebrow. "Open the palm of your hand Shiro Neko, and think really hard. I want you to in vision a ball of wind in your hand." Mikan's eyes widened, but she opened the palm of her hand anyway. _Wind, wind, wind. _She thought. _Make a ball of win-_ Her thoughts got cut off when something pulled from within her and a small ball of wind was on her palm, swirling. "Good, now try to make it bigger." Mikan focused on the ball, but eventually, it died out. "She's weak. But, we'll fix that."

"She's been in the hospital." Narumi protested, "And it's still immature, don't you think you should wait to transfer her when her power has grown?"

"No," Jinno snorted. "The faster she shaps up, the less trouble they'll be in the academy. It's time for the girl to stop living in this fantasy land of hers."

"Otou…" Mikan whimpered. "What are they talking about? Transferring?"

"She's not ready." Narumi said firmly. "I won't let you do it, unless you do it very slowly so she can adjust."

"Fine, I'll agree by that." Persona said after awhile. He turned to Mikan. "First, you'll be moved up quite a few star rankings, and then you will train with me every morning and every afternoon, each week your trainings will intensify until you catch up with the rest, then you will join the DA class."

"I don't want to go on missions!" Mikan wailed, and Persona's hand was on her arm instantly, twisting it backwards. Mikan's wail turned into a painful whimper.

"Do you want to get sent away?" He threatened. "Do you want that little boy to lose his alice forever? What about your friends hmm? You don't want to accidentally steal their alices and make them go home, right?"

"No," Mikan said, tears flying out of her hands. "I'll do it,"

"Good," Persona said, letting go of her. "But once I reach everyone's level, I want Natsume to stop going on missions." Everyone in the room froze, except Mikan who was looking around nervously. "I think if you all are planning to make me the academy's weapon, then you should at least let me play by my own rules."

"Smarter than you give her credit for, Jinno," Persona said, shooting Jinno a dirty look. Jinno growled, but didn't say anything more. "Fine, Shiro Neko. It's a deal then." Then, he walked out of the room. Mikan sank back against the bed as Natsume entered the room again, this time with Hotaru and Ruka.

"Polka dots, what was that?" He wanted to know.

"Confidential." Narumi answered, with a sad look in his eyes. He and Jinno both left silently, leaving the friends together.

"Mikan." Natsume repeated, Persona was in the room, talking to Mikan _privately. It spelt trouble._

"You're still in the Special Abilities class, right?" Ruka wanted to know he hadn't missed the smug Persona walk out of the room, and it worried them all. Mikan nodded weakly. _For now._

_review, review, oh kami-sama please review!!_

_3 Love,_

_baby_


	3. Fake Smile

Thank you for the reviews everyone! Remember, the more reviews I get, the more I update. It lets me know that at least _someone_ likes my story!!

Love,

Baby

Mikan was discharged from the hospital that afternoon, and shown to her new Special Star room, which just happened to be right across the hall from Natsume's. Even after explaining to her friends that everything that was happening was confidential, they continued asking her. They had even followed Mikan to her new special star room where she immediately locked herself in her bathroom the first chance that she got.

After Persona had left, she had received a message that had said: _Northern Forest, 5:30._ Mikan had only fifteen minutes to get there, and that was stretching it already, but she knew that she couldn't just walk out of her room and go there alone with out her curious and worried friends on her tail. So, she did the next best thing, she climbed out of the bathroom window. It wasn't so bad, really. The drop was far, but she had used the wind alice a little bit more, now that she was a bit more comfortable with it. She still however, couldn't control it completely, and ended up falling to the ground roughly the last five feet. "Owie…" But, she kept running, fearing what her punishment would be, for she knew that this wouldn't be the same as Jinno's math class, and the punishment simply wouldn't be a detention. And so, she ran faster, until she got into the dead center of the Northern Forest.

"Just on time, Shiro Neko." A voice came from behind her. Mikan spun around, and immediately a mask was thrown at her. She automatically caught it and stared at it, carefully studying it. It was identical to Natsume's mask, she noticed, except white. "Put it on, you have time to oogle it later." Persona ordered, and Mikan shoved it on her face. "From now on, every time you come to train with me, you will wear all black and this mask. Since you come to me in the mornings… Four A.M by the way, I suggest you wear clothes that you will be able to slip your uniform over easily so you won't be late for class." Mikan stared up at Persona emotionlessly. He held out his hand, and a small pink bracelet was in it, resting peacefully, Mikan reached out for it, but Persona snatched his hand back. "You must have better reflexes than that." Mikan reached out her hand, and tried again, and again, and again… before she finally stopped.

"What is this bracelet for, Persona-sensei?" She asked.

"Everyday, you are to copy an alice. Your alice is still immature, so it will hurt every time you try to SEC an alice." Mikan sucked in a sharp breath. _So it would hurt like when I took that boys alice… no…_ "This bracelet will lessen the pain. But remember, you aren't to tell anyone of this alice, we are going to keep you a secret for as long as possible." Mikan gulped, but didn't say anything else. "No matter what, you will copy the alice's. So, it's either with the pain… or with out." Mikan's hand lunged for the bracelet.

She hadn't gotten back in her room until two in the morning, giving her about an hour and a half to sleep. It had taken her until 7:30 to steal the bracelet, and then once she did that Persona had ordered to practice her patience and balance by standing on a single log with out making a sound or moving for an hour. If she did either, her hour would start over again. She finished this task around 12 in the morning. Finally, she had to do 250 sit ups, 78 push ups, and run all the away the _whole_ academy _twice_ before she was dismissed for bed. The whole walk home, Mikan's head pounded with the new information that had been crammed into it. The training that she had been through was so challenging. Earlier, Persona had told her that what he was starting her out with was considered easy, and was what most DA students considered easy.

Mikan's alarm clock rang around 3:30 in the morning, and Mikan slapped her hand down, groaning. _Please let it be a dream… I don't have the SEC alice, I don't have the SEC alice._ She opened her eyes and groaned even louder when she spotted her while Shrio Neko mask laying on her bedside table. Mikan slowly got off of the bed, making her way over to her bathroom. She froze when she spotted a sheet of paper on the ground.

_Mikan,_

_We found out you ditched us. You're going to pay by charge of my baka gun, baka._

_Hotaru Imai_

Mikan gulped, but immediately decided that Hotaru's baka gun didn't hurt as bad as the pain Persona had put her through in just a day. Glancing at the clock, she scurried into the bathroom and took a shower and got ready for the day in a record time of twenty minutes. When Mikan walked out of the bathroom, she was clad in a black tank top and a pair of black shorts. Uniform in hand, she walked towards the Northern Forest, ready to continue her training.

"Once again, you are on time Shiro Neko, I'm impressed. They told me that you tend to be late." Persona greeted once she reached the center of the Northern Forest. Mikan's mind was too foggy from lack of sleep to reply. "Follow me, I am showing you to the official DA training room." Persona swiftly jumped from tree to tree, causing Mikan to fully wake up to pay close attention to where Persona was leading her. He finally stopped in front of a stone brick building. "Can you find this again?" He asked, and Mikan hesitantly nodded. "Good, because I'm not showing you the way again." Mikan frowned. _You showed me the way? But I just barely kept up with him!_ He entered the building and Mikan shortly followed. "For all of our trainings you shall meet right here."

"Ne… Persona-sensei?" Mikan asked quietly.

"What?"

"Do you sleep?" She wondered aloud. Persona was sharp and ready for anything, and Mikan was dull and ready for go to sleep for a month. They had the same amount of sleep, Persona most likely had even less.

"Sometimes." Persona answered shortly. "Next time don't pester me with such Baka questions." He pointed to a set of targets, each traveling a little farther and farther each time. "Make a ball of wind." Mikan conjured one up in her hand. "Throw it at the target, hit it in the middle, then move on to the next one. There are 16, when you are done, I want you to go into this room," He pointed to the left of them. "And doge 52 rocks. Then you are to do your sit ups, push ups and your daily run before you finally put on your uniform and go to class. Remember not to change your behavior or tell anyone of our meetings. Now start." Mikan nodded, and threw a ball of wind at the target. She missed the target, but she didn't miss Persona walking out of the training house.

"W-Where are you going Persona-sensei?"

"Out." Was the only respond she received. She sighed, and threw another ball of wind at the target board. She missed.

NXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXMXNXM

Five minutes before the bell rang, Mikan walked into the classroom with a bright smile on her face, but inside she was dying. Her body her so much that it was painful for her to even smile. "Ohayo Hotaru-chan!" She still headed towards her friend Hotaru, allowing herself to get hit by the baka gun , only to keep the illusion that she was fine. The first hit, she ducked from, a reflex that the rocks from this morning had taught her, but the rest she had to endure. When she hit the ground, she just stayed there, even when Yuu offered his hand out to her. After what seemed like hours, but was only two minutes, Mikan took Yuu's hand and pulled herself up, wincing from the soreness of her abs from the many sit ups she had done this morning. She walked over to her desk and calmly sat down, under the watchful eye of her friend Hotaru.

"Baka," Hotaru said coming up to her friend. "What's wrong with you? I know my baka gun didn't hurt you _that_ much." Hotaru was concerned, but the stoic girl still didn't show it on her face.

"It's nothing…" Mikan told Hotaru, forcing a bright smile on her face. _I'm in so much pain, it hurts all over. But I can't let anyone know, my punishment will be even worse if Persona-sensei finds out that I told_. "My body's just a little stiff from being in the hospital, remember?"

Hotaru stared at Mikan for a few seconds before walking back over to her desk, and just seconds after the classroom door swung open again, revealing Natsume, Ruka, and Ruka's little bunny Usagi. "Ohayo Ruka-pyon! Ohayo Natsume-kun!"

"Hn," Natsume said, and sat at his desk.

"Ohayo Sakura-san!" Ruka greeted back. "Are you feeling better from the hospital?" He asked, and Natsume looked up, slightly curious.

"She says," Hotaru supplied. "That she's fine, but still a little stiff." Her eyes connected with Natsume for a few long seconds, and Mikan fidgeted nervously.

"I can speak for myself, Hotaru." Mikan snapped. As this point, the whole class was watching her, confused at her sudden snappy demeanor. Mikan swallowed and looked down as the school bell rang, signaling the start of class. Narumi bounced in, perky as normal, and the whole class stared back at him, eyes twitched.

"Oi, gay teacher, what are you wearing?" Natsume called out suddenly, causing the teacher to stare at his clothes.

"I was playing fairy princess," He explained to the class cheerfully. Narumi was wearing a pink tutu with a golden crown over his head. "I guess I forgot to change back it was so comfortable."

"Change back next time, all the bright colors are giving me a headache." Mikan said, glaring. The whole class, except Natsume and Hotaru of course, gasped. Narumi looked to Mikan gently, silently reminding her not to make anyone suspicious. Mikan sighed and put a huge smile on her face. "Just kidding!" She exclaimed, and everyone sighed with relief, except for Hotaru and Natsume. Hotaru turned around in her seat to stare at Natsume, and Natsume clenched his fists.

_She lied, has Mikan ever lied before? What did Persona say to you to make you act this way, Mikan?_ He thought to himself. Luckily, Koko wasn't his mind at the moment.

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remember to review!! Thanks for reading!

Love,

Baby


	4. Mood Rings, Mood Swings

Okay, thank you so much for the reviews. They are what encoraged me to continue writing! You guys are soo halarious! Okay, so... I don't think this will be a NatsumexMikanxPersona, but this is most definetly a NxM fic! So enjoy!

Love,

Baby

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Chapter Three

As soon as the bell rang signaling the end of classes for the day, Mikan was out of there as soon as she could. She needed to find another alice to copy before her meeting with Persona. She had already copied one earlier, but it wasn't one that she could really train with.

The young girl turned into an empty hall, deep in thought, not noticing the young boy, also known as black cat following her. Suddenly, she was thrown against the wall and her hands where pinned to her side. "Natsume-kun…" Mikan whined, uncomfortable with how close his face was with hers. The breathe on her skin was making her making her nervous, it made her want to attack him with her lips, strangely enough.

"Polka dots," Natsume said threateningly. He had an evil glint in his eyes as he paused and looked down, making eye contact with Mikan moments later. "Or should I say Ichigo?" Mikan let out a small shriek of protest.

"Natsume-kun you hentai!" She wailed.

"What's wrong with you today?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine, Natsume, really." She said, giving him a convincing smile. "It's just been a rough day for me." This didn't satisfy Natsume at all. If anything, he tightened his grip on her. His face was almost so close that their noses brushed, causing Mikan's breath to hitch and her heart rate to speed up. Natsume moved his mouth to her ear.

"I don't believe you, Ichigo." He whispered. "You are going to tell me what went on in that hospital, soon. And I'm going to help you. Because no matter what I'll be here for you." Mikan squirmed against his body and he pressed against her.

"Natsume," She whispered. _Let me copy the fire alice_. Mikan winced from pain, alerting Natsume instantly. Even though the bracelet did ease the pain of copying an alice, it was still there, and it hurt like crazy.

"Mikan? What's wrong? Do I-" Mikan kissed him firmly on the lips… using the alice that she had stolen from Narumi, Voice pheromone, causing him to pass out and drop into her waiting arms. _You cannot know, I'm sorry Natsume, but I have to pull you out of the darkness this academy has forced you in._

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"Anything to report before training, Shiro Neko?" Persona asked as soon as Mikan entered the scene. "I coped the Voice Pheromone alice and the fire alice." She said looking towards the ground. She had already taken three important things to these people. These alices where no longer their original trademark. Mikan had taken that liberty away from them.

Persona, seemed to be pleased. Mikan was a fast learner and would be entering the DA class faster than planned. She had already pretty much mastered her wind alice that morning. It seemed that it only took a few hours for the girl to master her alices. "I want you to do target practice again Shiro Neko, except this time I want you to alternate between Fire and Wind." He tossed Mikan something she immediately caught. She opened the palm of her hand and looked at the object blankly. "This is a mood ring." Persona announced and Mikan's eyes shot up to him, confused.

"Why…"

"As such an immature little girl, I assume that this training and such is taking a toll on your emotions." Mikan's eyes grew wide. _Did Persona actually __care__ about her feelings?_ She thought. As if Persona heard the thoughts, he scoffed. "We can't have you lashing out at your peers and blowing our cover, can we? You are our _secret_weapon in the war that is to come.' Mikan pressed her lips together and nodded. "Green is happy, Blue is sad, Purple is nervous, Black is injury or emotionless, and red is anger or annoyance. When that ring is blue, black, or read you are not to show any emotions, but place a smile on your face, got it? If not, it will punish you."

"Hai, Peronsa-sensei." Mikan said obediently.

Persona smirked. "Good, now go run along and do your normal training routine. Then add what I told you to do earlier." With that said, Mikan ran away.

Hours later, a disgruntled fire caster awoke. He found himself lying under his favorite Sakura tree with a manga over his face. He stood up, racking his brain, trying to remember why he had fallen asleep under the tree. His mind came up as a blank, and the only thing he could remember was running after Mikan. _Mikan…_ He thought to himself. "Why was Persona in your room? Why do you act so cold so suddenly?" He asked aloud. The only response he got was the howl of the wind. "I need help," He decided finally, walking towards his destination. He just hoped he had enough rabbits.

Shortly after knocking on the door, it swung open. "I knew you would come." A girl, also known as Hotaru Imai said. "Step into my office, Natsume."

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Lucky for Mikan, the next day was a Saturday, so after her morning practice with Persona, she could easily go back to sleep for the rest of the morning. Well, she could've if Natsume, Yoichi, Ruka, and Hotaru hadn't burst into her room at 10 am, only two hours after her training ended and began to brutally wake her up. They burned her hair, scared her with ghosts, and knocked her out of bed using the baka gun. And boy, was Mikan pissed. She was about to about to open her mouth to tell them all off when a painful shock went through her body. Mikan's gaze flew down to the red ring on her finger. Angry. She then looked up at her friends with a big smile on her face. "Ohayo everyone! What are you doing here?" She asked as cheerfully as she could.

"Baka," Hotaru said emotionlessly. "Don't you remember how last weekend we where busy so we agreed to take you to Central Town?" Mikan slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Gomen minna! I forgot all about it! Just give me ten minutes to get dressed…" She said, shooing everyone out of her Special Star room. Well, everyone except Yoichi, he was calmly sitting on Mikan's bed while all of this happened, gone unnoticed by Mikan as she grabbed some clothes from her dresser and went into her personal bathroom. Yoichi smiled, curiosity getting the best of him as he searched throughout Mikan's room. The five year old pulled out a cardboard box and began going through it. In it where pictures of her years from GA. The festival, her friends, her birthday, and many from central town. There where also dozens of letters addressed to someone named 'Jii-chan'. Her grandfather, he assumed. But what he found next made his jaw drop. A white cat mask, equivalent to Natsume's black cat mission mask. Except on the inside of Natsume's mask there was something written in the inside so Mikan couldn't have possibly been involved with Persona. But just to be sure, he shakily flipped the mask over and let out a small shriek when he read what was engraved inside the mask. 'Property of Gakuen Alice' Name: Mikan Sakura alias: Shiro Neko. He shoved the mask and box under the bed as he heard the shower turn off. Just seconds later, Mikan dressed in a black skirt and pink tank top emerged, staring at Yoichi concerned.

"Yo-chan?" She asked confused. She thought that she had kicked him out of the room with all of the others. _I guess I didn't notice him…_"Are you okay?" Mikan kneeled by the boy when she noticed his terror stricken face.

"Okaa-san…" Se said launching himself in Mikan's arms and crying his little heart out.

"O-kaa-san?" Mikan repeated, confused. For years she had only been called ugly or annoying by Yoichi and now she was suddenly called his mother? She had no time to ponder over the fact, her impatient friends where outside. Mikan stood up, bringing Yoichi up with her. "Everything will be okay, Yo-chan." Mikan comforted awkwardly. "I promise." Yoichi didn't reply, but buried his head in Mikan's shoulder to muffle his crying. Mikan and Yoichi made their way outside where all of their friends where waiting. Hotaru immediately began walking towars the bus, while Natsume stared at the crying boy blankly before running to catch up with Hotaru, almost smiling. Sure, he was beyond worried about Yoichi, but today was the day he would begin finding out about Mikan's new secret. Ruka shot a curious look towards Mikan who just shrugged in return.

Yoichi had finally calmed down once they had reached Central Town, but he still refused to be more than five feet away from Kian. This made changing veryawkward for Mikan. But, she made it work. After many stares and Howalons later, Mikan glanced at her watch and gulped. If she didn't leave now, she wuld be late, and punished by Persona. The only good thing that had happened was the fact she had copied around ten alices that day, from all the different people she had run across that day.

"You guys, I have to go now, I had something planned…" She explained and her friends all nodded, dismissing her. Yoichi however, clung to Mikan's leg and began wailing. Everyone stopped to stare at the strange sight. The usually stoic and cruel Yoichi Hijiri was clinging to Mikan and crying like the little kid he was. Natsume grew very worried and began searching Mikan's confused eyes. Hotaru, began snapping pictures.

"Thousands…" Hotaru muttered to herself. Ruka, feeling bad for the boy, tried to pry Hotaru away from her gun, only to get socked by the baka gun.

"Okaa-san no! It's too dangerous he'll hurt you!" He wailed.

Then, everything was all to clear for Mikan while Natsume just grew more confused. Since when was Mikan Yoichi's 'Okaa-san'? And what about Mikan did Yoichi seemed to know that he didn't?  
Mikan looked down at Yoichi and began stroking his hair. "You found that box didn't you, Yo-chan?" Yoichi nodded. "I know that you're trying to protect me, but it's my job to protected you and everyone else for once.

"But Per-" Yoichi began but Mikan hushed him, looking around nervously. She dropped her voice so that only Yoichi could hear her.

"We have to keep this a secret between the two of us. Now you must let me go, or I'll be severely punished. You don't want that right?" Yoichi instantly let go of her hand. "Remember, 'everything will be okay'." And then, Mikan was gone.

"Iie Okaa-san," Yoichi said to no one in particular. "This time, I don't think it will."

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Thanks for the reviews. More reviewsmore writing! Any suggestions let me know, I'll update soon!

Love,

Baby


	5. Testing the Waters

Chapter Four

Monday morning at three thirty am, Mikan Sakura got up from her bed and limped towards her shower. She had learned her lesson Saturday night, and she didn't want to be late for training again.

_**Flashback**_

_"Fifteen minutes late, Shiro Neko." Persona said disappointedly. Mikan cringed under her mask when a sharp pain flooded her body. She glanced down to her mood ring, and found it a light pink color. Persona smirked. "Oh yes, I forgot, pink is fear…." Mikan cringed again, but this time it wasn't from the pain of the ring. _

_**End of Flashback**_

Her hand reached out to turn on the shower and she glared at it, more specifically, the ring that was encircled around her finger. She hated it. She wanted it off. It was turning a violent shade of red, and Mikan forced herself to smile widely, her lesson learned from the many times it had shocked her the past few days.

_**Flashback**_

_Persona snorted. "Central town. That's your pathetic little excuse?! You are one of my students. You could've run here, or even teleported here. That is not an excuse." He dug something out of one of his pockets. A pill canister, filled with medium sized pills. Mikan didn't know what they did, but she did know that they where most likely dangerous._

_**End of Flashback**_

After showering and putting on her mission clothes. She stood still in front of her mirror before sliding the mask over her face. She decided that she hated Persona more than she hated the ring. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what looked like a small spider crawling up her wall. She ran over and smashed it, watching as sparks flew out. She clenched her fists. It was Hotaru, _again_, she was sure. She had crushed eleven "spiders" in the past two days that where without doubt the work of Hotaru Imai. She knew that she and Natsume knew something was strange, they weren't stupid, but neither was she. Mikan was lucky that Persona hadn't figured out that Yoichi knew of her secret, and had found it out so easily.

_**Flashback**_

_"W-What are those Persona-sensei?" Mikan asked.. Persona gave a frightening smirk. _

_"Your punishment. I figured that I'd go easy on you since it's just your first time being late. Take two." He said, shoving the bottle in her hands. _

_"I don't want to…" She said, her hands trembling. Persona cocked an eyebrow. _

_"I've heard from some sources, that little boy, Yoichi __Hijiri, I believe is calling you his 'Okaa-san', touching, really." He said sarcastically. "He's the only member of the Dangerous Abilities class who hasn't undergone training or missions yet. He could do wonders, using his demons to do missions…" Mikan twisted open the bottle and popped two pills in her mouth. "Good job Shiro Neko. Now, I want you to do your usual routine, and train those new alices you've learned. Remember… don't go home until you've finished…" Persona walked away with a smirk on his face. _

_**End of Flashback**_

Mikan quickly ran out of her room and towards the forest. This time, she would be early, so that she wouldn't have to take those pills again, or worse.

_**Flashback**_

_Persona had given her pills that slowly and painfully forced her body to shut down. So while she ran around the academy, she started to feel light headed, and dizzy. While she worked on target practice, she constantly had to stop to throw up all that she had eaten earlier in the day. The pills had made her sick. She didn't have enough energy to doge the rocks that where violently thrown at her. They hit her, knocking her backwards and leaving bruises. Finally, her knees buckled and she fell to the ground with a sickening 'thud'. Her breathing was shallow. _

"_Damn, now I have to carry her back," Was the last thing she heard before it all went black._

_**End of Flashback**_

She had woken up that Monday with a high fever. Yoichi was lying on the end of her bed, he had obviously come to take care of her. Her bruises where still visible, but only if you stared too hard.

"Shiro Neko, I see you're early today." Persona's voice shocked Mikan, causing her to halt when she reached the entrance of the training room. "Very good. Although you seem to have a problem with being on time you are progressing very quickly with your training." Mikan squeezed her eyes tight. She hoped that she didn't have to leave her Special Abilities class quite yet. "Normally you would be in the Dangerous Abilities class… but instead I'm just going to have you start to take over Kuro Neko's missions. This morning your training ends and your missions start tonight. Be here at eight" Mikan's gaze flickered down to her ring. It was pink, but it hadn't shocked her. "You may take the ring off now," Persona announced, and Mikan practically tore it off. "Your emotions seem to be in control. But if I hear that there are any problems…" Mikan nodded as she tossed him the ring. She knew that it would be on her finger quicker than she could say 'It was an accident.'

"Ne… Persona-sensei?" Mikan had changed in the past couple of days from intense training, and fear, no doubt. But Mikan still was the kind, curious little girl she had ever been.

"What, Shiro Neko?" Persona asked, and little irritated.

"Please, may I know what all these missions are for?"

"The AAO wants to start an alice war to destroy our academy. Our objective is to keep that war from happening and to keep all of our students safe." He glared down at her. "Of course all of this would be easier if _your mother_ hadn't joined."

"My… mother?" Mikan asked, her eyes widening. Surely, her mother wasn't a traitor to the academy? Her mother wouldn't want to start a war… but Persona stayed silent.

"Get to work." He said gruffly before storming off. Mikan sighed before staring to run her training course. She would have to copy the mind reading alice, for she could never read Persona by his expressions and tone of voice, no matter how hard she tried.

* * *

Mikan walked into class four hours later, with a fake smile on her face. It wasn't that she was in pain, because she wasn't, well, not really. Mikan had gotten used to the vigorous training that Persona had been putting her through, in fact, it made her feel rather refreshed. The fake smile on her face was covering the emotion of worry, just itching to bust out of Mikan. She was worried about the AAO, the alice war, her upcoming mission, and most of all her mother. Did her mother know that her only child was in the academy that she wished to declare war on? Did she even care?

"Hotaru!" She cried out, running towards her friend for a hug, only to be shot with the baka gun several times. By the time she hit the ground, Mikan really wanted to cry. Now was the time that she _really_ needed a hug from her friend, not blasts from her recent invention. "Hotaru," She whined. "What was that for?" Hotaru, had her nose in a book, no doubt studying for the Math test that they where due to take that day.

"Why do you keep destroying my inventions?" Hotaru asked, and Mikan stood up, brushing off her uniform.

"Why do you insist on being nosy and spying on me all the time? You may be my best friend, but I don't want to share _everything_ with you, Hotaru." Mikan said cooly, before walking over to her row, where her seat mates where currently sitting. Ruka, had overheard the two girl's conversation and was looking at Mikan with surprise while Natsume had a manga covering his face. Mikan suspected that he was sleeping. _Probably from all those missions._ She thought bitterly. _But he shouldn't worry about it anymore. Now it's __my__ job._"Ohayo Ruka-pyon, Ohayo Natsume-kun," She greeted, sliding into her empty spot.

"Are you okay Sakura-san? You seem a little… cranky." Ruka worded carefully. Mikan snorted.

"I'm fine." She said, softening her tone, realizing that she couldn't act too out of character any longer, if so it would be mood ring central for her. "Really, Ruka-pyon, you can call me Mikan, I don't mind." She regarded her friend gently. "You've known me for what? Three years now?"

"Oi, Polka dots, lower your voice you're giving me a headache." Mikan spun around to meet the infamous black cat's intense gaze.

"Oh yeah? Well your presence is giving me a headache." She said, before sticking her tongue out at him. Natsume lit a threatening flame in his hand and threw it towards Mikan. It disappeared inches before touching her face. "Null-i-fi-ca-tion alice. It means that I can cancel any alice." Mikan told the boy. Natsume scowled.

"I know what Nullification means, Strawberries." Natsume said, lifting the manga back to cover his face.

"Then act like it next time, Natsume-kun…" Mikan said leaned back in her chair hufflily before turning to Natsume and stepping on his foot as hard as she could, earning a flinch from the boy. "And stop looking at my underwear you pervert!"

"Stop showing them." He retorted.

"Natsume we're 13 and in the eighth grade. I think that you should've gained the skill of restraint by now."

"I know that skill very well. I am restraining myself for burning Koko, who is by the way reading my mind right now, to a very fine crisp." Natsume didn't even look at the quivering Koko, who had been caught in the act. Mikan blinked and winced as she began to copy over Koko's alice. He was the only alice in her class that she hadn't copied yet.

And finally the school bell rang, halting the two teen's daily banter. Narumi pranced through the door with a grumbling Yoichi on his tail, who's face instantly lit up when he realized that he was in the class room of his "Okaa-san" and his "Otou-san", Natsume. Mikan then, just had a very disturbing thought. She prayed to the gods above that her nullification alice was up just then, and Koko hadn't heard it.

"Otou-san! Okaa-san!" Youchi greeted, walking towards the back of the room and plopping himself in Mikan's lap. The whole class was startled, except for Hotaru, Natsume, and Ruka, of course. They had already seen Yoichi call Mikan his mother before, everyone else had not. Mikan, was shocked too but not because of the same reason. In fact, she was slightly annoyed. _Who said he could just sit on my lap anyway? And without permission too! This bratty little kid… but he's __my__ bratty little kid… I guess._ She thought sourly.

"Do I look like a chair to you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, and Yoichi giggled. Everyone, including Hotaru and Natsume, had a mental brain freeze. It took Mikan's snort to snap them out of their days as they watch her slide Yoichi off of her lap and onto a chair. "You'll be much more comfortable here."

"Hai, Okaa-san." Yoichi said obediently.

"And… do the fact that I have meetings all day, you shall have a substitute!" Narumi announced suddenly, and then skipped out of the room.

"Why was he even here in the first place?" Anna wondered aloud, and everyone shrugged.

"Sakura." Sumire said, standing up and walking Sakura as a soon as all teachers had cleared out of the room. "Why is Yoichi calling you Okaa-san?" She demanded. "I've been trying to get Yoichi to call me that for like six years and Mikan is here for what? Two minutes and he's all over her."

Everyone raised an eyebrow. "Um… Sumire, Yoichi is five. _And_, Mikan isn't new anymore. She's been here for three, almost four years." Ruka informed Sumire, sticking up for Mikan, but Mikan was too preoccupied to notice, she was busy testing out her newest alice on Yoichi.

_He hurt you didn't he? _Yoichi thought towards his mother. Mikan closed her eyes and took a large breath of air.

_I deserved it, Yoichi. I was very late. Persona had every right to punish me.._ She explained as best as she could telepathically. Yoichi clenched his little fists and growled lowly.

_You shouldn't even be involved with him in the first place Okaa-san! He's bad news! _He mentally screamed.

"Mikan? Who's bad news? And if he is, why are you involved?" Koko asked, startling both Mikan and Yoichi. Mikan's eyes flew open and Yoichi's jaw dropped. They had both so carelessly forgotten that there was a second mind reader. Luckily, he hadn't been able to read Mikan's mind to figure out that they where talking about Persona, but what he had found out from Yoichi was enough to catch his attention and everyone else's. Mikan pressed an orange alice stone in Yoichi's hand, and he absorbed it. He now had the nullification alice, and no one could take it away from him, well, except Mikan. "And how could you and Yoichi be talking through-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about Koko," Mikan said, sporting her doe brown eyes. Koko tried to read her and Yoichi's minds again, only to find that he was being blocked. Confused, he turned back around in his seat. He understood that he could be blocked by way of Mikan, but Yoichi...? _Nice try, Koko._ Mikan thought to herself, happy that everyone had turned back to their own business, dismissing the strange conversation that had been going on between the two students. All except two. Hotaru Imai faced Natsume Hyūga and gave him a signal, showing that they where going to move onto plan B. They wouldn't be sending Hotaru's inventions after Mikan anymore. No, they where stepping it up. _They_ where going to stalk Mikan Sakura tonight, and they would find out her secret. No matter what the cost.

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry it took me awhlie! But that's okay, at least i updated, right?

Thanks for reading, please review if you want more. If there is anything that you would like to see in the story... then let me know, okay?

Love,

Baby


	6. Challenging Positions

Chapter Five

Natsume sat on his bed, still in shock from the information that he had received earlier. It was still Monday, which meant that the students at Gakuen Alice had their special classes. That day, Persona had informed that himself, and about three or four of the Dangerous Abilities students, that they would no longer be taking missions and that they should hand in their masks.

Natsume couldn't believe that he was finally free. After going on life threatening missions for almost eight years, he was finally free. It just bothered him that Persona wouldn't reveal why he was free.

Natsume groaned and flopped backwards on his bed, grabbing a pillow in the process. He covered his face with it and groaned into it loudly. Something just didn't make sense. The alice war was coming up before they all graduated from GA, he was sure. That was less that five years. Someone had to be taking over their missions, but who? There where no new additions to their Dangerous abilities class, and he was positive that _no one_ would be that powerful to take over five of the school top agents positions. Natsume was the most powerful kid in the DA class, and he had been well… demoted.

A knock on his door tore him out of his thoughts. Natsume pulled the pillow from his face and placed it gently on the bed before standing up and flinging open the door, only to be faced with Hotaru Imai. "You're late," He remarked, and Hotaru breezed past him into his room, closing the door behind her.

"I was busy," She told him coldly, and Natsume snorted.

"Selling pictures of Ruka, Hotaru? Isn't that getting a little old? It's a rather childish way to get him to notice you." A strip of pink tinted Hotaru's cheeks but she covered it well.

"Isn't peeking at Mikan's underwear getting a little old, Natsume?" She shot back, and Natsume sighed.

"I'm sure if you stopped harassing him, Ruka would actually open his eyes and realize how desperate you are to get him to notice you." Hotaru had nothing to say to that. Instead, she began getting out devices.

"Invention 788: Bunny hearing ear muffs. Gives you super hearing, and can be easily used to hear secret conversations. Invention 789: Softy Slippers. Muffles the sound of your feet so that no one can hear you trailing them, no matter how far away they are. This duo package can be bought for 500 rabbits." Hotaru said, looking towards the wall. Natsume cocked an eyebrow.

"Who are you talking to?" He questioned, and Hotaru turned to him.

"It's a secret." She told him. "But, put them on. We have to get going soon if we're going to track that idiot, Mikan." Natsume nodded and put on the devices. Both students walked out of Natsume's special star room and out of the dorm rooms, just in time to see Mikan sprinting towards the front gate of the school.

"Why is she dressed in all black?" Natsume asked.

"Shut your trap hole, Hyuga. We are to stalk her, and be completely quiet. Tonight's goal for us is just to observe… without being noticed." Hotaru said, and Natsume stayed quiet. They continued following Mikan.

* * *

Mikan had picked up the presence of two people the minute she started running towards the gate of the Academy. She realized, that neither where Persona. So, she strayed a little from the entrance, buying herself enough time to think of a plan. Mikan didn't have time to stop and actually figure out who was trailing her, she would be late starting her first mission, and she couldn't have that. So, she decided to escape her stalkers, Hyuga style. She began sprinting towards the gates again and was pleased as they began opening for her. She quickly slipped her white cat mask over her face. Then, without warning, she spread a large fire, creating a barrier between herself and her stalkers, before running out the gates and into the city.

Her mission for the night was to locate the AAO's newest head quarters. They never stayed in just one place, but constantly moved, so that the academy could not easily find them. For the past three years, the academy hadn't been able to locate them so Persona had assigned the mission to Mikan, believing that his prized student could find it no questions asked. By now Mikan was in the middle of the city, and she had no idea how to find the AAO at all.

* * *

Hotaru's eyes widened as she turned to face Natsume. "Why did you start a fire?" She questioned, and Natsume's face turned from cool to panicked.

"This isn't my fire." He told her nervously. When did this new student with the alice of fire come into their school? And why where they so set on not letting them follow Mikan?

Hotaru whipped out a fire extinguisher and passed it over to Natsume before getting one out for herself. "Spray." They sprayed until all that was left was a very pissed off looking Jinno and Narumi.

"It's passed curfew." Jinno told them. "You need to be punished for this, children." He said, lighting a ball of lightning in his hand.

"We where just following Polka dots, she escaped from the school you know," Natsume recovered smoothly, and Narumi raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what illusion you where following boys, but Mikan Sakura is in her room, sick with a cold." He stated, moving towards the children.

"That's not true," Hotaru said, taking a step backwards. "We just saw her run out of the academy gates. We would've followed her too if someone hadn't started a fire."

Both teachers looked to Natsume. He held up his hands in defense. "It wasn't me." He protested, but both teachers shook their heads.

"You are the only fire alice in this school young man." Jinno scolded.

"It's late, we'll deal with you tomorrow. _GO TO SLEEP._" Narumi said, using his alice on both students. They all dropped to the ground. "If Mikan hadn't copied that doppelganger alice, then they would've found out." Jinno frowned. "She's well prepared."

"That she is." He reluctantly admitted. It was hard for him to talk about the former no star now special star in such an adoring light. "That she is."

* * *

Two students came into view the next morning, and they where standing outside of Mikan's special star room. "…Well?" The first student asked. The second student reached out and opened the door.

"What a baka, leaving her door open like this, anyone could get in." The second student remarked before they both moved towards the front door. The door wasn't wide enough for the both of them, so they where stuck. "Natsume."

Natsume locked eyes with Hotaru for a minute, then nodded. At the same time they went toward door, once again getting stuck. Annoyed, Hotaru shoved Natsume forward and he fell to the ground, Hotaru stumbling over him. All in all, they found themselves in a very awkward position. Natsume was laying flat on his back and Hotaru was straddled over him. Her arms where on each side of his shoulders, and her knees where in between his legs as she so desperately tried to balance herself.

Someone cleared their throat, causing Natsume to throw Hotaru off of him and Hotaru to turn a deep shade of red. "I'm sorry if you're mistaken, but Natsume's Special Star room is right across the hallway there," A young blonde boy stated. His eyes where narrowed, his lips pursed, and his fists clenched. He wasn't too amused on what he had just walked on.

"Oi, Ruka!" Natsume said, a normally as possible. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," Ruka said, sizing them both up and down. "But on second thought, I don't even want to know. _I_ was keeping my sick best friend company." He said disgusted. He stormed out the door, past the two shocked friends.

**Flashback**

_"Hi Mikan, I heard you where sick," Ruka said, sitting on the edge of Mikan's bed. "Man, I still can't believe that you're a special star. It's quite an accomplishment." _

_"Hey Ruka." Mikan said with a big smile on her face. Ruka's eyes narrowed. _

_"Where's Mikan?" He asked, and Mikan looked up, startled. _

_"Nani?" She asked. _

_"You are not Mikan Sakura." He stated, then frowned. "And you're not one of Hotaru's inventions either. Who are you?"_

_Mikan sighed. "How did you guess, Ruka?" _

_"Mikan always calls me Ruka-pyon, no matter what. It's been that way for three years." Ruka said. "Now, let me ask again, where's Mikan?" _

_"She's out on some… business." "Mikan" said. _

_"Business…" Ruka echoed. "And who are you?" _

_"A clone. Mistress Mikan has copied the doppelganger alice, as well." _

_"Copied!" Ruka exclaimed, surprised. "Mikan" bowed her head, realizing her mistake. _

_"Please!" She pleaded. "You cannot tell anyone of this information, or Mikan-sama will be punished!" _

_"If she can copy an alice…" Ruka thought out. "Then Persona, the hospital…it all makes sense now! She's working for Persona! And Yoichi, must know. That's why he's so attached to Mikan." Ruka put the pieces together in his mind. "Which makes her on a mission right now. A tough one, I imagine, since she's been gone all night." _

_"Don't tell your friends." Doppelganger Mikan repeated. _

_"It's not like they'd listen." Ruka scoffed. Doppelganger Mikan frowned. _

_"You know, I may not be the real Mikan, but I'll listen." She said brightly, making Ruka smile slightly. _

_"My other friends, Hotaru and Natsume… Natsume has gotten distant from me lately anyway, but Hotaru… yesterday I took her to Central town." _

_"Oh, like on a date?" Doppelganger Mikan grinned, wiggling her eyebrows up and down. _

_"Well… I wanted it to be, but I convinced Hotaru that I just wanted to buy a gift for Sumire. It's her birthday this month, you know." He said, and Doppelganger Mikan nodded slightly. _

_"I know. I have all of Mikan-sama's feelings and memories." _

_"Right." Ruka said shortly. "But right as we where about to go into some girly store, she looked at the time and proclaimed that she had to meet… Natsume." _

_"What's so wrong with that?" Doppelganger Mikan wanted to know. "You all seem to be in the same circle of friends, all connecting to Mikan." _

_"Yeah, but she's been "meeting" Natsume every night for about a week." _

_"That sounds… dirty." Doppelganger Mikan said, tapping her finger on her chin. "But I doubt that they would be doing anything behind your back. I think that you should go right now to visit Hotaru. Go ahead, and ask her out, on a __**real**__ date. Maybe she will include you in whatever she and Natsume are up to." _

_"You know what?" Ruka said, standing up. "I will." _

_"Hm… sounds like someone's at the door… get that, will you Ruka…pyon?" Doppelganger Mikan asked. _

_"Okay, don't forget to look sick," Ruka said slyly, winking at her. Right on cue, she coughed, and Ruka walked out of the room. _

_"Go get em' tiger." She muttered, falling back onto the real Mikan's bed. She rolled over, pretending to be asleep._

**End of Flashback**

* * *

"Finally," Mikan exclaimed sitting in a tree over what she believed was the AAO's headquarters. She placed a tracking device on the ground, so that the academy would know where it was located. She then jumped down from the tree and headed towards the academy once again. "Mission accomplished."

* * *

**Hey guys, it's baby!**

**Haha you really thought that Natsume and Hotaru would find out about Mikan huh? Well then, i guess you where suprised when Ruka found out about it so easily! Also, i have decided to make this a NxM and a RxH. It just looks like there are going to be some... "issues" with our favorite foursome right now. Yeah, Mikan is kind of different. She's dealing with three personalities right now. Her raging teenage personality (it went a little crazy when Natsume pushed her against the wall a couple of chapters ago), her cold mission personality, and the old chipper, real Mikan personality. So... yeah, she's a bit different. I know that this chapter didn't have so much "Yo-chan" and Peronsa in it, but I was thinking... next chapter? I was even thinking about a little Tsubasa and Misaki! What do you think? You reviews really help to motivate me so thanks a lot for that! **

**Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!**

**Love,**

**Baby 3**

**ps. exams, exams, exams... don't expect to hear from me till the weekend. because this week i've got exams!**


	7. Let the Games Begin

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story line... of this story, not the real thing people, trust me.

Thanks for the reviews I simply adore reading them and they've helped me put up another chapter earlier than expected. Now, before you read this chapter, I'll have you know that this is a **nxm** okay? Ruka and Mikan are not going to be invovled romantically. I but him in this chapter a lot, because in most fics if it's a NxM, he doesn't really have a big part, friendship wise. He's just there, part of the gang. He's not really doing anything besides sticking around Hotaru. Well, in my fic he's toughing up and being a real friend. Yeah! (umm... kay. that was a weird moment. anyway, on with the story!)

Love,

Baby

Chapter Six

Persona eyed Mikan up and down, a certain glint shown in his eye. Mikan shivered, too scared to even think of snooping around in his mind. The glint was so scary that she didn't even want to know what he was thinking. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself and put up a nullification shield. "Mission Accomplished Persona-sensei." She reported.

"And I would've been proud of you too, _if_ two kids almost escaped the academy following _your_ lead." He said, and Mikan winced.

"They've always cared so much for me, and are quite nosy. They care so much for me."

"What if you suddenly didn't go to Gakuen Alice anymore then? What if they both started taking missions with you then they would both certainly know what was going on." He asked slyly.

"No! That wasn't our deal Persona-sensei!" Mikan cried out, and Persona smirked, knowing that he was winning.

"But keeping your missions a secret was part of our deal." Mikan gulped, knowing that he was right.

"I'll… I'll make sure that they'll stop following me." She stated, and Persona raised an eyebrow, not believing her for a minute.

"If they are your _friends_ then they'll care for you and want to constantly follow you around. What if when you ask they don't stop following you around? What will you do then Shiro Neko?" Mikan frowned. That was exactly what she had planned on doing. But now that she had thought about it, Natsume and Hotaru where stubborn people and would not stop at anything to get what they wanted, no matter how coldhearted the task was.

"I… I don't know what to do." She admitted aloud.

"You have to push them away, Shiro Neko. Make them not want to be there for you anymore."

"But how do I do that?" Mikan asked, looking up. She couldn't just stop being friends with them. They had been her family for years!

"Figure it out. Just make sure they won't want to be near you any longer." Persona said before tossing Mikan two pills. "Take them. They won't affect you until later." Mikan's eyes widened in fear as she looked from the pills to Persona. "They're different." He said. Mikan looked at them hesitantly before emptying the contents into her mouth. She gave him the bottle back and something was pressed in her hand. She probably should've thrown the pills away away but Persona would've known. He always seemed to know when Mikan disobeyed him. She peeled her mask off of her face and teleported to her dorm room.

"Back already? That was really long mission, Mikan." Mikan was so startled that she jumped backwards.

"Ruka-pyon!" She exclaimed. "How do you know about my missions? Why are you here? We have class in ten minutes!"

"First of all," Ruka said. "Your doppelganger forgot to call me Ruka-pyon." Mikan groaned. She would have to work on that.

"And… why are you here, Ruka-pyon?"

Ruka sighed and sat on the bed, choosing to ignore her question. "What's in your hand?" Mikan's eyebrows rose. She had forgotten that Persona had pressed something in her hand. She slowly opened it and frowned at what she saw.

"It's a mood ring." She said. "Tell me why you're here, Ruka-pyon."

"I didn't want Hotaru and Natsume to find me."

"Why?" Mikan wanted to know.

"Well, when I found them almost about to kiss on the floor,I then stormed out of the room." Ruka admitted sheepishly. There was a sharp pang in Mikan's heart but she ignored it.

"And why is that so bad, Ruka-pyon? People can't help who they like…" Mikan said.

"But that's just it, Mikan! I like Hotaru! And… and Natsume knows it. Yet he spends all his spare time with Hotaru lately." Mikan giggled.

"Someone's jealous!" She teased, and Ruka blushed.

"It's not funny, Mikan. They really hurt my feelings." Mikan put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ruka-pyon, Natsume is an easy person to bump into. I'm sure they just fell on the floor in a funny position and that's when you must've walked in. I've done a couple times myself and boy is it embarrassing. Tsubasa-sempei has caught me and Natsume in the most awkward situations…" Mikan said cheerfully.

"Really?" Ruka asked hopefully and Mikan smiled widely. Her first real smile in a long time.

"I also think you should tell Hotaru about your special feelings soon."

Ruka smiled too. "That's what the doppelganger said too." Mikan looked at him strangely.

"She was copy of me, remember."

Ruka scratched the back of his head. "Oh yeah. Um… don't mean to be rude but aren't you going to put on the ring?" Mikan looked from the ring to Ruka then back again.

"Do you mind if I cry a little first? Please Ruka-pyon?" She asked. Ruka frowned but opened his arms, ushering her in. Mikan wasted no time launching herself in them. She muffled her wails in his chest. "I'm sorry Ruka… but I just need to…" She was cut off by a sob. Ruka rubbed her back and began whispering comforting words in ear.

"I'm always here for you to cry to Mikan, always." He whispered, and Mikan's shoulders shook with sobs.

* * *

"How strange…" Narumi said, suddenly stopping the middle of his lesson. For once, he was actually teaching his students. Everyone was present, even Natsume, except for Ruka and Mikan. Mikan, he was informed that she was bedridden with a "cold", but Ruka… was never absent if Natsume wasn't with him. It was about twenty into his lesson and he was worried, and everyone else in the class was getting a little restless too.

Suddenly the door creaked open in the back of the room, catching everyone's attention. In walked Mikan Sakura with Ruka Nogi. They both walked in, still wearing their pajamas.

"Ruka-kun! Where were you?" Narumi asked, and Sumire and the Ruka/Natsume Fan club growled.

"You can't just overlook the fact that Mikan was absent too!" They all wailed, and Narumi's eye twitched, repressing the urge to roll his eyes.

"Mikan-chan, Ruka-kun. Where were you two, you've missed more than twenty of this morning's lessons." He scolded, and Ruka froze. Mikan continued walking to her seat.

"I'm sorry Otou-san, you know that I've been sick all week." She said apologetically. "Ruka-pyon came over last night when I had high fever and nursed me back to health. We didn't wake up until ten minutes ago, and decided to come to class as we where. I hope you don't mind." Narumi's eyes softened.

"Not at all Mikan-chan, I'm happy that you're feeling better. Thank you, Ruka-kun for nursing Mikan-chan back to health." Ruka blushed but didn't say anything more. Instead, he took a seat. The girls all looked upon Mikan with envy.

"Mikan-chan you're so lucky! I wish Ruka would come over late at night and help _me_ when I'm sick!" One girl whined.

"Oh yeah me too! Ruka, you should feel my head, I'm feeling a little hot!" Another yelled. A horde of girls soon surrounded poor Ruka, then as fast as they gathered, they all ran away screaming that their hair was on fire. Everyone looked to the back of the room where Natsume was sitting, only to see his manga over his face. Mikan slowly pulled it off his face and everyone could see that plain as day, he was sleeping. This is when everyone got confused.

"Who started the fires then?" Yuu asked, and the whole class became a buzz. Narumi glanced at Mikan with a raised eyebrow before walking out of the room. Ruka smiled at the distraction and moved over next to Mikan, who was sitting beside the sleeping Natsume.

"Thank you, Mikan."

"Anything for you, Ruka. I owed you for this morning. Thank you so much." She said. "Now remember our secret, the second part." Ruka frowned, but then remembered about Mikan's advice regarding Hotaru. "I'll do it after school today." Ruka smiled and got up to go back to his seat near the front of the room. Crimson eyes fluttered open and the owner frowned. He had never _really_ been asleep. Even though he was losing his touch on spying, his faking skills where still top notch. _I know that Yoichi knows something, and I know Ruka knows something now too. If they figured it out, why can't me and Imai? It looks like Ruka and I will have to have a little talk, about her secret and why he's spending so much time with Mikan? He knows that I have a "thing" for her._

Hotaru, whom was sitting at her desk staring at the chalkboard blankly frowned. _Baka didn't try to hug me. She didn't even say hello. The gay teacher's gone, now why isn't she coming over. _

_I'm sorry Hotaru-chan._ Mikan thought frowning. _But I must slowly shut you along with Natsume out of my life. I'll do it slowly so it won't be too big of a shock_. A tear escaped her eye and a painful shock ran through her body. Mikan wiped the tear from her cheek and put a large smile on her face as the whole class suddenly turned to her, worried. They had sensed the girl's discomfort. "I'm so happy that summer is just a week away! Than it'll be summer vacation!" She cried happily, causing the whole class to burst out in smiles. "Let's all go to Central Town after school today, Minna!" Natsume frowned.

_I saw tear go down her cheek… but wait. Where have I seen that ring before?_ He pondered.

* * *

"I'm worried the academy has something against us." One voice said.

"And why is that?" Another questioned. "Do you have such little faith in the AAO?"

"Never, master. But they have been quite, lately, fewer missions. It either means that they are finally surrendering or…" The first voice explained.

"They have a new weapon and the real war is about to begin." The second voice said in sense of formality. "Fine then. We shall be on guard. We will find this weapon and destroy it, then we'll attack and take down the academy so fast they won't even know what hit them. Then they'll realize that it's us. We're coming for them, and we're coming for them soon."

On the other side of Tokyo, a man with a mask over his face watched pleased as his little spying gadget picked up a conversation between two top members of the AAO. Mikan Sakura, he reluctantly thought, did her job well. With her on their team, they would be well prepared. _Let the games begin._

**end of chapter!!**

**affects of pills are coming next chapter. **

**It's pretty obvious who the "voices" where, but if you still don't know, ask and i'll tell you, okay? **

**the evil mood ring is back! along with some mystery pills! what will they do to poor Mikan? **

**mikan was a really nice in this chapter but the next... you'll feel the temperature dropping and Natsume won't be able to raise it up. **

**a future Ruka/Natsume confrontation about the girls**

**Yoichi apperance? possibly. depends on what my fingers feel like typing.**

**will Natsume remember the mood ring? Will Natsume and Hotaru (poor girl) find out Mikan's secret? now that's a hint I won't give you. hahaha.**

**Love,**

**Baby**


	8. Murderous Confrontations

Chapter Seven

_Why did I even suggest coming to Central Town anyway? I should've known that Hotaru and Natsume would've come too with the rest of the class. It's making it harder to stay away from them, especially when Natsume bought Yoichi and I a box of Howalons…_ Mikan thought silently. She, Natsume, Yoichi, and Hotaru where currently waiting for the rest of their class to come out of the Toy Shop they had all been anxious to burst into. Hotaru and Natsume had claimed to be too old for such things, and Mikan just didn't want to go. Yoichi, wanted to stay by Mikan, he had been separated from her for a whole week and didn't want to be again. He had been kept up late at night with worries of her safety.

"Okaa-san, take me over there," He said, pointing across the street to the displays teddy bears. Mikan nodded and they laced their fingers together, slowly walking towards the display of teddy bears that Yoichi seemed to love.

Mikan looked down at the ground, frowning when it started to swerve. Her stomach started to churn violently so she stopped walking. Her breathing became erratic, it felt as though someone was sitting on her chest. She then moving all together. Yoichi's hand dropped from hers and he looked up worriedly.

"Okaa-san? Are you okay?" He asked, but Mikan stayed silent, trying to sort out her jumble of a brain. There where words and phrases flying everywhere, and she couldn't compute a thing. Suddenly, her head started to pound the world twisted around her faster than ever. She swayed steadily back and forth, and Natsume put a hand on her should to steady her.

"Don't touch m-" Mikan hit the ground.

_Mikan knew that she was sitting down, but that was about all. She didn't know how long she had sitting, but it had been a long time. She didn't make or hear any noises, and she hadn't tried to get up. But now, she did. When she tried to stand up, her head got banged on something causing her to fly back down. Her hands reached up a few inches above her head and she frowned. A ceiling. Mikan uncrossed her legs and began to kick in front of her, only to find that her feet had quickly reached a wall also. She was trapped in a box. A completely pitch black box. She couldn't see a thing. _

_"Hello?" She called, banging on the sides of the box. "I need help, please let me out!" Suddenly, there was murmuring outside of the box, and tears began streaking down Mikan's face. The murmuring got louder, and she knew that no matter how loud she wailed, she could never get out. But still, she began to try, listening to the murmurs. "Please! Help, me I can't get out!" _

_Suddenly, a fire was lit, and only one voice could be heard. "Polka dots, wake up, you're hurting yourself." _

_"Stay away from me Natsume, stay in the light, you're out of the darkness, now stay in the light." _

_"Polka dots..." Natsume repeated. _

_"Get me out of here! It's so dark, I'm so scared." _

_"JUST WAKE UP ALREADY!" Natsume shouted. _

_"Get me-"_

"OUT!" Mikan yelled sitting up abruptly in her bed. Breathing heavily, she noticed that once again, she was in the hospital. She had several tubes connected to her arm, and the room was filled with people. Hotaru, Natsume, Ruka, and Yoichi, along with a worried looking Narumi. Mikan first noticed that everyone had worried looks on their faces, including the usually emotionless Hotaru. She, was frowning slightly. Mikan blinked and looked to the side of her where Natsume's hand in entwined with hers. Mikan sighed and lay back on her bed, her eyes fluttering closed.

_The murmuring continued, and Mikan could feel the box getting smaller, she suddenly felt very claustrophobic._

Mikan gasped for air, her eyes flying open again. She then realized that every time she closed her eyes she would be in that box. But, why? "Why am I here?" She asked her friends. Narumi, decided to answer for her.

"You where at Central Town with Class B when you suddenly passed out. Natsume carried you all the way here. The nurses said that you where injected with something but weren't sure what." Narumi suddenly handed her note, with the initials 'SN' on it. Mikan frowned before opening the note and reading it's contents.

Mikan grunted and pulled the iv's out of her arm, not even wincing when she pulled them out. Natsume squeezed her hand.

"What was that dream all about, little girl? What where you talking about?" He asked. Mikan winced, then snatched her hand away from hers.

"You need to stay away from me, Natsume. I mean it. All of you do." She said coldly. She wiped her tear streaked face. _I was crying? _She wondered. _But the ring would've woken me up if I was…_ "Where's my ring? And what about my bracelet?" She asked aloud, and Hotaru suddenly came forward with the jewelry.

"I was running some tests on them, I'm not too sure if it's-"

"It's not yours to run tests on!" Mikan shouted taking the ring out of her hand. Hotaru took a step back in shock. "Do you know how much danger you and Natsume have been putting me in? I'm going to say this once, and I'm not going to say it again: Stay. Away. From. Me." Natsume blinked before storming out of the room. Hotaru turned her back on Mikan, secretly trying to control herself from bursting out into tears. Hotaru Imai didn't do tears. Ruka frowned and wrapped an arm around Hotaru, looking at Mikan with questioning eyes.

"Okaa-san…" Yoichi whispered, looking up at Mikan with wide eyes. "That note…" Mikan bowed her head before walking out of the room.

Ruka dropped his arm, frowning, before grabbing Yoichi's hand and following Mikan out of the room. Narumi went over to Mikan's bed, and began making it up. "Sometimes, the best way to help someone or to show them that you care is to keep your distance, especially when your attention is putting them into hospital situations." He said, then walked out of the room, leaving Hotaru and Natsume by themselves.

"How are we harming Mikan, that baka is too mysterious lately for her own good." Hotaru thought aloud.

"Hotaru." Natsume suddenly said. "We need to speak alone. I think I know what's going on, and it would do no good to speak about it in such a public place."

"Let's go to my place," Hotaru said, standing up and walking out of the room. Natsume followed her lead.

Mikan stared into her mirror as she continually brushed her hair. Ruka and Yoichi sat together on the edge of her bed, observing her.

"I just don't understand why you continue to do this, Mikan. Lately from all of this nonsense you've ended up in the hospital because of _him_." Ruka said, hate dripping from his tone. Mikan shrugged.

"He's punishing me, because I've attracted too much attention. The less people that know about my missions, the less chance the AAO will find out and attack our school. I'm lucky that only you two know, and not Hotaru and Natsume. If they ever figured it out, then they would rebel, and get themselves killed." She said, she fingered the ring in her hand before carefully sliding it on.

"Okaa-san, what does that ring do?" Yoichi asked. "And why do you fear it, even though you need it so badly."

"It's a control ring. It controls my emotions." She said, and Ruka winced.

"That's _sick_," He said disgusted. He realized now how unhealthy that was, and the reason why Mikan had launched herself in his arms earlier on in the day.

"You look tired, Okaa-san, go to sleep. You still have about an hour until your mission, ne?" Yoichi asked, standing up to stare at Mikan, and she laughed bitterly.

"I don't think I'm aloud to go to sleep Yoichi, I've been given some special medication that plagues me with nightmares every time I close my eyes."

"That's horrible!" Ruka shouted, standing up from the bed. Mikan and Yoichi rolled their eyes.

"We get it, Persona's a sadist." They said together, and Ruka began pacing the room.

"I'm just so angry I have to-" Ruka was cut off by his own scream as a ring of fire suddenly surrounded him. Mikan coolly put down her hair brush at turned to look at her friend. Yoichi's face went emotionless.

"Ruka-pyon, calm down. I put a sound barrier around the room, but with your high pitched voice, you may break it." Ruka's eyebrows furrowed.

"My voice is _not_ high pitched!" He squealed.

"Yes it is," Yoichi comfirmed, and Ruka's mouth dropped open. As he began to protest. Suddenly, the wall of fire dropped and balls of water began hitting Ruka in the face.

"_Ruka-pyon_." Mikan said calmly. "I'm serious." Finally Ruka stopped talking, but instead began shivering. Yoichi marched into Mikan's bathroom then came out with a towel and threw it Ruka's way. He caught it and began drying himself off.

"You control your alice really well Mikan." Ruka complimented. Mikan's only response was a slight nod.

"I must leave soon." She said, and Yoichi jumped up to hug her legs.

"Stay safe, Okaa-san." Mikan grabbed the note Persona had sent her and burned it, all three students watched as burnt pieces fell to the floor.

"Tell me what you know." Natsume said as soon as both students where sure that they couldn't be over heard.

"That bracelet is a controlling device. That ring… sends off shocks depending on certain emotions." Hotaru stated, and Natsume frowned.

"It's familiar… but why would she need a control bracelet?" He said thoughtfully.

"Ruka knows what ever is going on with Mikan," Hotaru stated, and Natsume nodded, eyes narrowing. It bothered him. _He_ was supposed to be the one Mikan ran to for help, not _Ruka._

"I think Ruka has a crush on Mikan and is blackmailing to get closer to her." Natsume said, voicing his conclusion.

BAKA!

"What an baka," Hotaru mumbled. "That's my story, remember?"

"Damn, you're right." Natsume cursed looking down. "I guess we have to go interrogate Ruka then. Fine, I'll go and tell him how bad of a friend he's being, while you search Mikan's room for any clues on what she's hiding."

"Since when do I take orders from you?" Hotaru asked.

"Since we want to find out what's wrong with Mikan."

"Oh right," Hotaru said thoughtfully. "Your love interest…" Natsume fought a blush.

Ruka sighed and locked the door to his room, worry sketched on his face. He need to get help for Mikan, these missions where just getting too much for her, she was just so innocent before, the incident, and now it's been ripped from under her, causing her to grow up. "Ruka." A voice said, startling Ruka out of his thoughts. He looked up just as his long time best friend, Natsume, stepped out of the shadows.

"Natsume…" Ruka trailed off, running a hand through his hair. He knew that it was coming soon, this confrontation between himself and Natsume, but that didn't mean that he wanted it to be so soon.

"We need to talk…" Natsume voiced the words that Ruka had been dreading to hear.

Mikan fingered the weapons that she had been given, just moments ago. A black shot gun and a black knife.

**Flashback**

_"It was you," Mikan accused. "Those pills."_

_"Liked my little experiment?" Persona chuckled. "I'm rather proud of it, now you'll be forced to keep your eyes open, keep alert." _

_"I hate that experiment, and I hate you." She growled, and Persona pulled out two weapons, holding them out in front of Mikan. _

_"Now, you don't really mean that, Shiro Neko. Let's carry on and get down to business. We have limited time on our hands. The AAO has something vital."_

_Mikan looked wide eyed at Persona. "W-What are these for?" She asked nervously, and Persona smirked. _

_"To kill, you are to kill first and foremost using the fire alice, but if there is a barrier around or you are not able to, you take that knife and stab. Or, you take that gun and shoot." _

_"K-Kill?" She echoed, and Persona pressed the weapons in her hand. _

_"You kill anyone you come in contact with and take back a folder labeled: Students 08." He said, and she hesitantly nodded. I expect you to be back in four hours, tops. You know where it is located so you can just teleport and sneak in. Remember, do not hesitate to kill and stay away from cameras." _

_"Hai… Persona-sensei." _

Hotaru could've cried at her misfortune when she entered Mikan's special star room. Sure, Mikan wasn't there, but a sleeping five year old was. One wrong move and the ghost summoner would surely chase her out of Mikan's room. The first thing she would've gone for was under the bed, but she couldn't risk getting close to Yoichi, fearful of waking him.

Hotaru took a deep breath, her senses sharpening when she smelt… smoke. _Why would there be fire in Mikan's room? _Hotaru thought. _She doesn't cook, there are no matches aloud in the academy. And the only fire alice at the academy is Natsume. Natsume wasn't in her room, this fire smells recent. There's no way… unless Mikan somehow has the fire alice? That would even explain the mysterious fire that blocked us from Mikan's path last week._ Yoichi groaned and rolled over in his sleep.

Hotaru bowed her head, trying to keep her thumping heart under control, it was only a matter of time before Yoichi would wake up. She would leave now. That's what she had decided… until she saw three pieces of burnt white paper on the floor. She pulled out a plastic bag and sealed them inside before quickly moving out of the room. She had some tests to run.

"Mikan is one of my best friends, Natsume. Is it so wrong for me to spend time with her?" Ruka asked coyly, and Natsume growled.

"You're spending _too_ much time with her! You know how I feel about Polka dots!" Natsume shouted, and Ruka shrugged.

"What about Hotaru?" He asked, and Natsume looked up startled.

"What?"

"You're spending more time with Hotaru than I'm spending time with Mikan."

Natsume's eyes softened slightly. He had forgotten that Ruka had developed feelings for the inventor. "I say we switch." He said finally, and Ruka frowned, shaking his head.

"Mikan doesn't want you around her Natsume I don't thin-"

"Why?" Natsume cut him off. "Why doesn't she wanting me figuring out her secret? What's so different about me from you?"

Ruka's eyes fell to the ground. _A lot._ "Natsume, I found out her secret by sheer luck, just like Yoichi. The more people who know her secret the more danger Mikan is put in now." Natsume frowned but stayed silent, and Ruka took a deep breath.

"But I think, the less people who know Mikan's secret, Mikan will be put in more danger in the long run. She's destroyed. Not the Mikan we used to know. Her innocence, is gone." He said, and Natsume blinked. "So you must make a choice, Natsume." Natsume stormed out of the room, heading toward his favorite place : The Sakura tree.

**

* * *

**

Four hours later, Mikan entered the academy. She handed the waiting Persona a folder. "Mission Accomplished." She said, trying to sound as strong as she could.

"The medication should've worn off by now." Persona said before he disappeared. Mikan pocketed her mask and then sprinted towards the Sakura tree, the only thing that she could turn to at the moment. Yoichi and Ruka where mostly asleep with the rest of the academy, and no one else would be at the Sakura Tree, right?

As soon as she reached it, she dropped to her knees, yanking the ring off of her finger. And she cried. "I'm… a murderer…" She sobbed. And, and in a sense she was. Forty five people she had killed, she counted. All those people had families, and friends. They had a beating heart and where given life so that they could wake up in the mornings and go to sleep at night. And now, because of her, they wouldn't wake up tomorrow morning.

Natsume's eyes flew open once he heard Mikan's sobs. _Mikan… what's wrong with you?_ He restrained himself from jumping down to scold her for being awake so late. But, instead he decided to peak from behind the leaves. She was sitting on her knees with her face buried in her hands. Next to her, there was a blood stained knife. His heart beat escalated. "I'm…a murderer…" He heard her say, and his eyes widened. _What? _

"So many of our men have died, by _them_." A man spat hatefully, but the woman just grinned.

"It's fine, Reo." The woman said. "The cameras have captured her, and we've copied the roster before they stole it so we'll be fine."

"So you know who this… Shiro Neko is?" Reo asked hopefully, and the woman slowly nodded.

"Brown hair, and height of 5.4, it was easy to find her, looking through our records. She looked about middle school age too, so it narrowed it down."

"But… according to the records, no one has the alice of fire except the Kuro Neko. That definitely wasn't him."

"Oh of course not Reo. _That,_ was my daughter. Wielder of the Steal/Copy/Erase and Nullification alice. She most likely simply copied the fire alice."

"So what do we do, get rid of her?"

"Are you crazy?! Do you know how well the AAO would succeed with a girl like Mikan Sakura?"

"Yes, we would dominate."

**Hey everyone!**

**Wow, I think that was the longest chapter I've written so far! I actually wrote this chapter yesterday, but figured that Natsume and Hotaru where progressing too far so I erased some and back tracked a little bit. So... let's recap shall we?**

**the pills Mikan recieved plagued her with nightmares everytime she closed her eyes**

**Ruka has a better understanding of Mikan's situation**

**Ruka and Natsume confrontation. They told eachother to BACKOFF!**

**Hotaru found a vital clue to Mikan's strange behavior... which can only mean that Hotaru and Natsume _are_ going to find out soon!**

**The AAO knows who Mikan is? Oh no! What will they do with this information? no one knows... except me of course!**

**Thanks for reading I love reading your reviews. They mean a lot to me. If you have any ideas to help me keep the ball rolling just let me know. And... if you think i'm straying from some characters or some parts in Gakuen Alice world, please let me know. Also, now that you've read this chapter, don't forget to hit that review button!**

**Love,**

**Baby**


	9. A Lovely Change of Pace

urgh... can you say writer's block? it was sooo hard writing this chapter, let me tell you! Jeez, this is hard. I think this story is going to come to an end soon. Let me know how you like this chapter everyone!!

love,

Baby

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the plot

* * *

Chapter Eight

"Natsume, I love you…" Mikan mumbled. Yoichi sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. "You're safe now, don't worry."

"Oi, Okaa-san." Yoichi said, poking Mikan in the side. She snorted slightly making Yoichi giggled. He gave her a little a shove and she rolled right off of the bed. With a groan she sat up, rubbing her back.

"Yo-chan?" Mikan asked groggily. "What was that for? I was sleeping."

"And dreaming of Otou-san." He said, wiggling his eyebrows, and Mikan gasped.

"T-that's not true!" She denied, and Yoichi smirked with victory.

"It is true! You told him that you loved him and everything!" Mikan now turned a deep shade of red. She shook her head, still denying the fact. "Fine then." Yoichi said standing up. "Then I guess that it won't matter if I go find him and tell him then." He said, winking at her. And then, he ran out of the room. Mikan's eye's widened and she untangled herself from the bed sheets and ran after him.

"Yo-chan get back here!" Mikan wailed. Birds flew out of nests as she chased Yoichi down the hall way. She nearly screamed as Natsume's door opened. "Whatever you do, do _not_ tell Natsume that I-"

"That you what, Polka dots?" Natsume asked, making Mikan freeze in her tracks. Yoichi ran up and attacked Natsume with a hug.

"Otou-san! I haven't seen you in so long! Can I come to class with you today? Please?" He pleaded.

"Hn." Natsume replied, but smiled slightly at the boy. He would never admit it aloud, but he had missed spending time with Yoichi too. "Let's go." Mikan turned to walk back to her door but Natsume grabbed her hand, causing her to shiver. "Let's go together."

"But, Natsume. I-"

"Okaa-san… your dream…" Yoichi teased, and Mikan narrowed her eyes at the boy.

"Have you been spending your spare time with Hotaru?" She questioned, and Yoichi blushed slightly.

"Maybe." He said, and Mikan grinned devilishly. Maybe, with her luck, she could dig up something easy to blackmail the little boy with. She _had_ seen him sucking his thumb last night when she came back from her mission. Her thoughts where cut off when Natsume started dragging her hand. The three of them walked to class like that: Yoichi holding on to Natsume's hand, Natsume holding on to Mikan's hand, and Mikan trying to pry her hand away from Natsume. She had decided that she wasn't going to avoid Natsume and Hotaru anymore. They hadn't tried to follow her out of the hospital last night, and Yoichi hadn't reported anyone in her room, so she would give them a chance. She was a little surprised though, that Natsume wasn't mad at her for yelling at him that way. Maybe, she figured, Natsume was holding onto her hand so tightly because he was afraid that she'd run away from him again. "So it's cherries today, huh?" he questioned, trying to get her attention. It got it alright.

"You're such a hentai!" She yelled, stomping on his foot. His cries of pain could be heard all over the academy.

As soon as Natsume, Mikan, and Yoichi entered the classroom, Hotaru stood up and strode over to Natsume. "Natsume, we need to talk." She said, and Natsume nodded.

"But not after school, I have a deal to keep. We can't talk as often, Hotaru." Natsume said, and with that he walked to his desk, pulling Yoichi behind him. Mikan watched the exchange, a little confused, but decided to walk back to her seat. A hand grabbed her wrist and Mikan found herself face to face with Sumire Shouda.

"Mikan," Sumire said. "I…I want to apologize for the way I've treated you since you've come to GA. I would like to be friends." There was a collective gasp as Mikan studied Sumire's face for any tricks. "Oh please, Mikan-chan? My birthday is tomorrow and everything!" She pleaded, giving a slight pout.

"Fine, I accept your apology. After school, let's go to central town." She said, giving Sumire a gentle smile. "Permy." Sumire smiled, skipping all the way back to her seat. She didn't even seem to mind that Mikan had called her Permy. Mikan frowned.

Mikan jumped as soon as she entered her room, surprised that Natsume was sitting on her bed with a smirk on his face. "What are you doing here?" She asked surprised. "_How_ did you get in here?" Her surprised look crossed over into panic. "You weren't snooping around, where you?"

Natsume raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you're hiding something, are you little girl?" Mikan crossed her arms.

"I am _not_ a little girl, Natsume. And yes, I have plenty of secrets now tell me what you're doing here, Natsume?" She asked, and Natsume stood up.

"I wanted to know how your little outing with Sumire went. I am little surprised that you actually agreed to go with her. Or, the fact that she actually wanted to be your friend."

_That's because she's not really herself, lately._ Mikan thought.

**Flashback**

_"Permy, why are you doing this?" _

_"You've always been so kind to me, Mikan. And everyone seems to like you. I think I should try to get to know you too." Sumire said innocently. _

_"But you've always hated me because of my closeness of Ruka and Natsume. Aren't you still jealous of that, Permy?"_

_"No," Sumire said batting a hand. "Ruka and Natsume mean nothing to me anymore, Mikan. They're so wrapped up in you and Hotaru, I figure that they aren't even worth my time." Mikan froze momentarily, and Sumire paused to glance at Mikan, as if waiting for her approval. _

_"Let's go see a movie, Permy." Mikan said, putting a big smile on her face. She dragged a smirked Sumire behind her. __**Tonight, I will confront Persona with this. **__Mikan thought. _

**End of Flashback **

"Actually, Natsume-kun, I have something to drop off at Ruka's so if you'll excuse me…" Mikan said, moving past him.

"I'll walk you," Natsume offered, and Mikan shook her head, smiling at him sweetly.

"Sorry, Natsume, but I have some stuff to do before I go. You can walk me to class tomorrow, okay?" She asked, and Natsume nodded, satisfied.

"Just make sure you're up on time, cherries." And before Mikan even had a chance to yell at him, Natsume was out the door. Mikan stayed still until the door closed with a click before diving under her bed for her box. She threw her mission clothes on, along with her mission mask and teleported to the training area, hoping to find Persona.

* * *

Ruka took a deep breathe before entering Hotaru's lab. The robot, thakfully had let him in and Ruka had found Hotaru typing viciously on her laptop. "Um... Hotaru?"

"Hotaru?" Hotaru echoed, stopping to look up at Ruka. Ruka hadn't really called Hotaru by her first name before, well, not to her face. The only girl that he called by the first name was Mikan.

Ruka looked down and blushed. "Um... yes. Is it okay if I call you that?"

"It's okay... Ruka." Hotaru said awkwardly. "What is it you want? Because I'm not giving you any of your blackmailing pictures back."

"Hotaru I...I...I...um... you do know that Mikan didn't mean any of that stuff she said in the hospital right? She's just really worried about your safetly."

"She should be more worried about my curiousity. Best friends tell eachother things like that." Hotaru told him. She looked Ruka over. "That's not what you where going to tell me before, Baka."

"I...I...I..." Ruka was once again at a loss for words.

"Well, spit it out already, Ruka." Hotaru said emotionlessly. Ruka took a deep breath.

"Hotaru Imai, I love you." Ruka announced. And then, he ran out of the lab.

* * *

Unfortunate for Mikan, Persona was not there. And so, while she waited, she decided to go through her training while she waited. Just as she was about to start her run, a surprised Persona appeared before her.

"Why are you training, Shiro Neko?" He asked. Then he smirked. "Am I rubbing off on you?"

"No." Mikan said dryly. "Listen, the AAO knows my identity." Persona's eyes grew wide with shock.

"What?"

**

* * *

**"The fire alice," Natsume said, looking at Hotaru with awe. He had come to meet Hotaru at around one o clock in the morning, when he was sure that everyone in the academy was asleep. "How does Mikan have the fire alice?"

"I did some research on her parents. I couldn't find anything on her mother, but I did find a Yuuki Sakura. He used to be a teacher here at the academy."

"I thought Mikan didn't have any parents?" Natsume asked.

BAKA BAKA BAKA

"Baka, everyone has parents. It's only a matter is they're dead or not. Mikan's father is dead." Natsume stood up stright, having dodged all of the baka shots.

"You forget sometimes, Hotaru, that I am this academy's top agent."

"Ex-agent." Hotaru corrected, and Natsume frowned slightly. Hotaru was right, as always.

"Have you found out what Yukki's alice was?" Natsume questioned, deciding to chance the subject.

"The only thing I found was something called the S.E.C alice. It was classified as dangerous ability. "

"Dangerous ability…?" Natsume asked. "Maybe, if we did enough research in the alice library, we could find out what the letters mean."

Hotaru nodded slowly. "We'll skip class tomorrow to do it."

* * *

The next morning, Mikan was on top of her game. By the time Natsume reached her dorm room, she was already awake, dressed and fed. She let Natsume hold her hand without any protest, and she was smiling brightly without any fakeness. She even gave the ring back to Persona the night before, seeing as she didn't really need it any more.

"Mikan-chan," Narumi said with surprise when they walked into the room. "You're here on time today, and with Natsume. Ohoho, is there something I should know?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. Mikan went to the front of the room. Hotaru and Natsume took that as their queue to sneak out to the library. Which, Mikan noticed of course. She smiled slightly, maybe it would make her plan easier.

"Yes," She said loudly, gaining the entire classes attention. She then pointed over to Sumire. "This is not Sumire Shouda. This, is an AAO spy." The entire room went silent.

**Hmm... what a twist huh? Thanks for reading! Let me know how you like it!! Read and Review please!**

**Love,**

**Baby**


	10. Fight or Flight

**hmmm... what do u know, it's finally here!**

**disclaimer: i own nothing but the fabulous plot!**

**i want to thank...: my reviewers! your my favorite group of people in the world right now... well besides the people looking for a cure for cancer, but um... you're pretty close in second .**

**summer. summer. summer. summer. summer. i love that word, i love that season, tis the season of my b-day!!. summer. summer. summer!!**

**sigh let's get on with the story already!! even if its a bit of a shorty. but it's still a chapter!!**

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Chapter Nine

"This, this has to be some sort of joke," Sumire said nervously. The whole class stared at Mikan, shocked. Narumi put a hand on Mikan's shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Now Mikan, I know that you and Sumire haven't necessarily gotten along in the past, but this is going too far." He scolded. Suddenly, everyone sniffed the air. "Is something burning in here?" Narumi asked, and then Mikan pointed to Sumires hair.

"You're perm is on fire, spy." She spat/

Sumire quickly put it out with the tips of her fingers and resumed staring at Narumi and Mikan with a frightened look on her face.

"Oh kami-sama!" Anna suddenly shouted. "Mikan's right! That's not Sumire! She's not running around whining about her hair!" Narumi's eyes widened.

"_Go to sleep_." He commanded using his alice. Everyone dropped to the ground, not including Mikan. She had her Nullification barrier up. "Mikan." He said, turning to Mikan. "How did you know?"

"She proclaimed that Ruka and Natsume weren't worth her time." Narumi nodded.

"And she's the president of that ridiculous fan club." He said, understanding. "But where's the real Sumire then?"

"I left her with Persona." Mikan said. "I kidnapped her back last night from the AAO headquarters. It looks like they know my identity, Otou-san." Narumi looked at her with a sad face.

"We have two options now Mikan, you know that." Mikan nodded slowly.

"Fight or Flight." She told him before pulling out her Shiro Neko mask. She pulled it over her face before moving over to the AAO spy. She stole the spy's alice then attacked without hesitation. Disgusted, Narumi looked away.

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Later on that day, Narumi with the help from Mikan moved all the students back into their dorms, so they could rest peacefully in their own beds. After that, Narumi had moved Mikan to his room as quickly as possible. He stood studying the girl that he had come to care for, possibly more than he had cared for her mother, while she washed her hands of blood. He remembered when she first asked to call him grandfather, then shortly after father. The first time he saw her determined, yet terrified figure standing outside of Gakuen Alice.

And now, he admitted that he was worried, about her. It was his own fault, he supposed that he hadn't tried harder to keep her from the greedy hands of Persona and the academy. He didn't agree with Yuka on many things. Her marriage and child with Yukki, betraying the academy, joining the AAO, but he did agree with her wish of Mikan wanting to be as far away from all of it as possible. That, he agreed on. But now it had backfired. After all those years, Mikan had _willingly_ come to the world that Yuka had worked so hard to protect her from. She had just _waltzed right in_. And now she was stuck, being sucked even father into the darkness than Natsume ever was.

Narumi wanted to take her away from all of this mess. He wanted to so badly, but he knew Mikan wouldn't put up with it. Not at all. She was determined to protect her friends, her family, and the academy. She knew what she had gotten herself into, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to get out without help. But who _would_ help? The people that she was trying so hard to keep her secret away from, of course.

"Well, what are you staring at Otou-san?" Mikan asked, almost coldly. Narumi frowned. He hoped they would save her soon, before her once shining personality shattered.

"Did you really have to get rid of her so… brutally, Mikan?" He asked, and Mikan sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"Persona's orders." She told him dully. "Gomen, Otou-san, I was in mission mode, I forgot you where there for a moment." Narumi nodded at the apology.

Truthfully, looking back at when Mikan first pounced on that AAO spy so mindlessly, Narumi felt _scared. _Scared as _hell_. What was Persona filling in her head? What caused Mikan, the eponym of innocence, just mindlessly kill? "It's just fine, Mikan." He lied, trying his best to assure the girl that he wasn't traumatized, which of course, he was. "Why don't you sleep here? You've had a tiring couple of weeks. I'll take care of getting Sumire from Persona."

"You don't mind? Me sleeping in your room and all?" Mikan asked curiously, and Narumi shook his head.

"It's not like you've never done it before." He kissed her firmly on the forehead. "Goodnight Mikan." He said before walking out of the room. Narumi could've sworn he heard the faintest _'Idiot, it's still morning'_.

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Natsume looked up at Hotaru, dumbstruck. "You mean, when you went back to the classroom, the only thing in it was a janitor moping up a large pool of _blood_?" He asked, and Hotaru nodded.

"No classmates or anything. I think we missed something _big_."

"You think?" Natsume mumbled sarcastically, earning him a hit from the baka gun.

"Watch the way you speak to my Hyuga. Did you come up with anything that makes sense about Mikan's alice?" She asked, and Natsume nodded, pushing a sheet of paper forwards.

"The… steal/erase/copy alice?" Hotaru read aloud. "Interesting… very interesting indeed…"

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"Someone's going to pay for not getting back Mikan _and_ killing one of our best agents. The shape shifter alice is very rare…" A woman growled. A man who had just walked into the room frowned.

"But, from our resources, Mikan herself killed Agent: 1288884." The man informed her, and the woman pounded her fist into the table.

"She's just a girl! How hard can it be to capture her?" She cried out.

"She's also the school's top agent, mistress, she's replaced all members of the Dangerous abilities class. But, with the right agent… she'll be easy to take down." He assured her. The woman laughed bitterly.

"Fine then, if you're so sure about it. _You_ bring her to me. Alive. It doesn't matter if she's conscious or not." The gulped before rushing out of the room, desperatly racking his brains for the perfect plan.

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_I don't want to leave everyone… I want to stay and fight. But… I remember once of the first things that, that bastard Persona taught me was when I was stuck in a jam, I need to run, run until I'm safe. Fighting is only when I have no other choice. I have two choices right now, but then again, I'll never see my friends, my Otou-san, or…. Or Natsume-kun again. So maybe right now I only do have one choice. Maybe that one choice is to stay and fight, no matter how much trouble I'm in. But then again, are my friends really worth more than my life? _

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**Oh, oh, oh boy do i have some new found respect for all of the authors of completed stories at ! I mean, wow... i happen to be a procrastinator, so trying to finish this story is so hard for me, you cannot believe! But, I'm trying! The reviews help too ;p. but yes, i think i just came up with an ending in this crazy mind of mind... possibly. it would most likely lead to a sequel haha, i already have a name for it and everything. but, let's not get too far ahead now... next chapter i'm going to try to work in some nxm time along with a rxh confrontation there. this story is coming to an end... really soon, i hope. **

anyway... dont forget to hit that review button!!

love you lots, (review if you want more, or else you're not getting any),

**baby **


	11. Thump Thump Goes My Heart

**whew! writers block!! That was possibly the hardest chapter i've had to write for this story so far. There weren't that many reviews either, but i'm extrememly greatful for the ones that i did get! And so... here's the next chapter!**

**Love, **

**Baby**

* * *

Chapter Ten

It was around noon when Mikan woke up, a little disgruntled from waking up in such a strange place. _Where am I? This place looks familiar. That's right, this is Otou-san's room. Ano… why am I here? Oh right the spy_. She carefully made up the bed before deciding to go strolling through the academy grounds. Mikan stopped when she reached the Sakura tree. She slowly walked over and placed her hand on the tree, lost in thought. _Last time I sat at this tree, I had murdered for the first time. The time before that, I had stolen my first alice. Maybe coming by here wasn't such a good idea after all. _Mikan backed away, slowly pulling her hands from the tree when someone grabbed her wrist. Mikan looked up shocked.

"Nat-Natsume-kun?" Natsume jumped down from the Sakura tree, not letting go of her wrist, causing Mikan to flare up.

"Are you busy?" He wanted to know, and Mikan shook her head, sure that Persona wouldn't dare to give her a mission that night since she had completed one _in_ school. "Let's go to Central Town." Mikan's eyes widened with shock as she let herself be led through Gakuen Alice by Natsume, who was still holding on to her hand by the way.

"Why?" Was her only response, and Natsume shrugged.

"I haven't seen you in a while." Everything Natsume had said was true. Four months, Mikan realized after awhile, since she had first stolen that kid's alice. _Four months since I started working with Persona. Four months since I've really spent some real carefree time with my friends._ She thought darkly.

Mikan however, wasn't the only person thinking thoughts along those lines. Natsume's hand fell slightly from her wrist to her hand and squeezed it tightly. He knew that he would be having a talk with Mikan that day, and that it would be serious too. Very serious indeed.

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Ruka had awakened from his slumber, shocked that Mikan had so bluntly revealed the AAO spy's identity. He didn't know what happened after, because Narumi used his alice on himself and his classmates, sending them into a deep sleep. He assumed that Mikan put on her Shiro Neko mask and took care of the spy and all of the students, seeing as everyone ended waking up in their own beds.

_I wonder how she knew…_ Ruka was now taking a walk along the corriders, thinking of nothing in particular. From the events of that morning, to what color socks he was wearing. _Maybe I could go with the animals today…_

BAKA BAKA BAKA

And then, all was black.

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_She's changed._ Natsume thought somberly as he and Mikan rode on the bus to Central Town. _Normally she would be chatting my ear off about anything and everything…why didn't I notice before? It should've been so obvious that she was working for Persona._ He thought fiercely. _And now she's probably this academy's most valuable weapon. Hell, she's even put the Dangerous Abilities class out of business. She's in danger, she was right about that. But, I'll get her out of it, I promise I will. _

"Natsume-kun?" Mikan's gentle voice interrupts his thoughts. "What's wrong? You look angry."

"It's just something Hotaru said earlier," He told Mikan, which was true in a way, he and Hotaru had come up with the conclusion that Mikan was working for Persona together, and it _did_ anger him.

"Oh," Mikan said, a smile breaking out through her features. "Is she blackmailing you too?" She asked, and Natsume shook his head.

"No way," he protested. "She does that with Ruka's stuff, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Mikan said, distantly. "I think she has a crush on him." She said, and Natsume nodded.

"And I bet he has a crush on her."

"He does." Mikan responded, and Natsume smirked.

"Since when did you know everything about my best friend?" He asked, and Mikan shrugged.

"Since he became my best friend too." She said.

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The first thing that Ruka noticed when he woke up was that the bed he was sleeping on, was amazingly comfortable. Oh yeah, and also the fact that he was in Hotaru's three star dorm room. "Hotaru?" He called out. A few seconds later, Hotaru walked into the room sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Oh," She said emotionlessly. "You're up."

"You drink coffee?" He asked, sitting upwards. Hotaru grabbed the chair sitting in front of her computer and spun it around, straddling it. "I hate that stuff."

"How do you think I stay up so late inventing, Ruka?" Hotaru asked with a raised brow. When Ruka stayed silent, Hotaru took a sip of her coffee, swallowing it with a gulp. It was then she noticed how truly painful the silence was. 'What happened in class today, Ruka. When I came in the entire class was cleared out and a janitor was cleaning up a puddle of blood."

Ruka shivered. He hadn't seen what Mikan had done to the spy, and he truthfully really didn't want to know. "It was discovered that their was an AAO impersonating Sumire. I don't know who was doing it but… we where all put to sleep by Narumi and… a DA member handled the spy." Hotaru gave a deep sigh, placing her coffee cup on the table beside her.

"So Mikan killed the spy, eh?" She asked, and Ruka's eyes widened. He swung his legs over the bed and leaned forward, his hands squeezing the covers of Hotaru's bed.

"I don't think so," Ruka said nervously. "She must've fallen asleep when Narumi used his alice." Hotaru looked at him blankly.

"First of all, Natsume and I found out about Mikan's little "missions" with Persona. I'm slightly embarrassed that we didn't put two and two together sooner, and second of all, Mikan has the nullification alice." Ruka's head dropped, realizing his mistake. "_Meaning_ that Mikan would not have been affected by that gay teacher and his alice."

"She didn't want anyone finding out, you know." Ruka said quietly. "If Persona found out that someone knew she would be punished and he would target them."

"But you knew," Hotaru stated. "Even Yoichi knew, but why couldn't she trust us? We where supposed to be her _best_ friends."

"Because she knew that you two would do something stupid and get her transferred to a different Gakuen Alice. Either that, or you'd be severely punished." He said, when Hotaru's mouth opened to say more he added, "You know it's the truth, Hotaru. Not even your brother could help you out." Hotaru looked blankly past him, outside of the window, a small smile gracing her features. Ruka blushed, he had never caught _the_ ice queen smiling before.

"The baka really cares too much about us for her own good." She stated.

"You never usually smile, Hotaru." Ruka spoke.

"That's because," Hotaru explained. "That baka Mikan _used_ to show enough emotion for the both of us. But since the training Persona's put her through…" She trailed off, her smile turning into a tight frown.

"Hotaru." Ruka said, causing Hotaru's eyes to fly to his. "Why did you bring me here?"

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"Ne… Natsume-kun you didn't have to buy me all of that stuff." Mikan told Natsume. "I'm a special star now, remember? I can afford it. I can pay you back if you'd like."

Natsume's expressions darkened. _The only reason you're a special star is because you're doing all of these missions behind my back, Polka dots. _He thought. "I don't need you to pay me back, Polka dots." He answered somewhat icily. Mikan tensed beside him but didn't show any emotions.

"Well… thank you." She said curtly, and Natsume nodded, leading her to an abandoned part of Central Town. There was field of Rape Blossoms around a grassy hill. Mikan carefully looked around, wondering why no one else was there.

"It's because no one else comes to this part of Central town, baka." Natsume answered, guessing her thoughts right away. Mikan looked at him curiously. "When your face isn't so guarded, you're like an open book, just waiting to be read." Suddenly Natsume stopped abruptly at the top of the hill, causing Mikan to stumble backwards, surprised. And then he lay down on the ground, tugging Mikan down with him. They both lay stomach down on the hill, watching as the sun set.

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Hotaru shifted comfortably in her chair. She was aware of the silence in the room, and Ruka's all knowing eyes staring her down. She felt hot and cold all at the same time.

"Hotaru," Ruka repeated, and Hotaru felt her eyes drawn once again to his. Why did she bring him to her room anyway? She had no business to him and she wasn't particularly close to the boy. Well, she wasn't when she secretly stole glances of him stroking his bunny in class, no, Hotaru was still very far away. She was envious of Mikan's close friendship with him and was envious. For the past year she had tried so hard to get Mikan to include Natsume in their outings, knowing that he would include Ruka in too. Natsume and Mikan would always run off, leaving herself and Ruka alone. And then, when Mikan started separating from them she was left with no way to speak to Ruka, expect by way of selling his pictures. At least the large profits consoled her. But, what was Ruka _really_ doing in her room anyway? _Maybe_ ever since he confessed that he loed her, he couldn't get his face, and his smile out of her head. Maybe she didn't want it out of her head. And why was it that Ruka had seen her smile? No one saw her smile, except for Mikan. And even Mikan had seen it a grand total of eleven times. Ruka triggered emotions and feelings in Hotaru that she didn't even knew existed.

"Because I love you too, Ruka." Hotaru replied bluntly, watching as Ruka's mouth dropped open in shock. "I knew that if I'd tried to come up to you again, you'd just run away. This time… I want you to stay with me." Ruka got up and strode towards where Hotaru was straddling her chair. He lifted up her chin and dipped his head, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

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Mikan and Natsume had been sitting on the hill for two hours. The sun had long ago set, and the two had flipped onto their backs to enjoy the stars. Natsume was pointing out the many star constellations. "See, Polka dots? And then that's the Sagittarius." He explained, and Mikan laughed silently, her shoulders shaking. Natsume looked over to her with a wide smile on his face. "What?"

"I love it when you're like this, I'm so glad you're happy, Natsume." Mikan told him truthfully. _Maybe it was a good thing that I took over these missions. Natsume's finally letting himself become a normal kid. He's… he's smiling._ "Besides, your smile is just so cute!" She exclaimed, smiling goofily at him. Natsume blushed, wiping the smile off of his face.

"Don't get used to it, Polka dots. Besides, I'm not really _that_ happy." Mikan frowned and sat up. Natsume followed suit.

"And why not?" She asked.

"Because, you're working for that bastard Persona." The color drained from Mikan's face.

"H-How did you know?" She whispered. "I worked so hard…"

"Because you can never hide _anything_ from me, Mikan Sakura." He said, his crimson eyes connecting with hers. "Never." He repeated. Mikan opened her mouth to say something, but the emergency alarm rang throughout the entire academy signaling everyone of an attack.

"Kami-sama." Mikan's eyes widened as she grabbed Natsume's hand and teleported.

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"Mikan Sakura, Shiro Neko... you are _mine_." Reo growled as several of his minions attacked Gakuen Alice full throttle.

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**End of Chapter!!**

okay, so. Um...this story should be wrapping up pretty soon. Maybe the next chapter and then an epi?? I'm pretty sure there's going to be a sequel. And, I know how I'm going to end this story. So... review! review! review! If you liked this chapter and want me to finish it. Hmm... if I get enough reviews then I'll probably post by the end of next week, we'll see!! Anyways, thank you so much for reading!!

Love you lots,

**Baby**

**ohh yeah, read & review. press that go button!!**


	12. Missing In Action, Taking Flight

and finally... the last chapter of Fade to Black, previously named Blood tears mind you. Next "chappie" will be a thank you to my wonderful reviewers. Enjoy!

Love,

Baby

* * *

Chapter Eleven

When Mikan and Natsume had materialized in Mikan's room, Mikan stepped out of the way just in time to see Natsume covering both hands with his mouth. She winced when she heard him hurling the Howalon's that they had eaten earlier into her stomach. She had been too caught up in the moment to realize that if you weren't used to teleporting, it would mess up your stomach completely. "Use the extra toothbrush to brush your teeth afterwards!" She called out after Natsume, earning only a groan in response. Mikan began stripping down from her clothes and began rummaging through her room for her stuff. The only thing that she had on hand was her Shiro Neko mask.

Minutes later, Natsume came out, wiping his mouth, now minty fresh. He blushed when he spotted Mikan rummaging around in nothing but her underwear. "Thirteen's a little too old for Polka dots, isn't it?" He asked, breaking Mikan out of her concentration. She looked up to give him a quick glare before opening up one of her drawers.

"Shut up, hentai, and help me look for my mission clothes." Natsume's eyes narrowed.

"You're not fighting against the AAO, Mikan. I won't let you get hurt." He told her seriously, and Mikan temporarily froze when she heard Natsume using her real name.

"The only reason why they're here is because of me. They've obviously come to steal me away." She answered determinedly, smiling when she found her mission clothes. She pulled them on eagerly. "I might as well keep them from tearing up the entire academy."

"Fine," Natsume snapped. "If I let you fight… then you have to promise me one thing."

"And what's that?" Mikan asked, turning towards him. She threw her hair up in a messy bun before taking the mask off of her bed and sliding it over her face.

"After it's over, we're grabbing Yoichi and all three of us are leaving this hellhole." He told her, and Mikan's eyes widened from behind the mask.

"Are you on something? Did teleporting make you delusional too?" She wanted to know. Natsume strode over and shoved Mikan against the wall, making it so that she was trapped between his arms.

"Either you're hiding in the shelter with the elementary students and staying here doing missions with Persona and losing your smile to this academy or you can fight, grab Yoichi, and leave with me." He told her. Mikan sighed.

"And what about Hotaru huh? And Ruka? And what about our class and our-"

"They'll understand." Natsume said solidly.

"We won't be able to see them ever again!" Mikan exclaimed sadly. "I just can't do that."

"Of course we can see them again, Mikan." Natsume said. "When we all turn twenty-one, the Academy lets them graduate from here, remember?" He reminded Mikan. "We'll come to their graduation. By that time, the academy won't be able to force us to go to school here any more. That's just eight years, okay?" Mikan frowned.

"Last time I couldn't even last a year with out Hotaru, Natsume. How am I supposed to handle eight?" She asked.

"Because you'll have Yoichi and I." Natsume assured her. A big explosion came from outside, causing Mikan to look outside the window. "Hm… they're really harming the academy, looks like you better make a choice Mikan…"

"Fine, I'll come with you just let me go." Mikan cried, and Natsume loosened his grip on her. Mikan ran to the window, throwing it open. She looked to Natsume. "Are you coming?" Natsume shook his head.

"I'm getting Yoichi. Meet me back here in an hour." Mikan nodded and threw something towards Natsume's way. He looked up to ask Mikan which alice stone it was, but Mikan had already gone.

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After hours of kissing each other senseless, Hotaru and Ruka jumped backwards when a loud wail of the AAO alarm pierced throughout the entire academy. They where in the Middle School branch, and therefore required to fight. Hotaru dove under her bed and began to grab useful inventions while began to call upon the fiercest animals he could think of. Cheerio the lion, Monkey the Cheetah, and Sally the Jaguar. Hotaru threw Ruka one of her beloved Baka guns.

"We get anyone that your animals miss." She told him, and Ruka nodded, before heading out of Hotaru's dorm room, Hotaru leaving just seconds after her.

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Yoichi was scared out of his ghostly mind. He had been sleeping peacefully in his dorm room when a loud alarm had shaken him awake. A few seconds later a high schooler had burst into his room, and had dragged him to the center of the Northern Forest and shoved him into an under ground shelter along with about two hundred little kindergarteners who wouldn't stop crying. Yoichi himself wanted to start crying. But he was Yoichi Hijiri, and Yoichi Hijiri had cried only a handful of times. He didn't plan on crying anytime soon. And so, he leaned against the wall and focused on creating demons while his classmates wailed about wanting their mothers, brothers, sisters, senseis, and sempis. A demon materialized in front of Yoichi, looking at him curiously. "Oi, who are you?" Yoichi asked, and the demon spoke.

"My human name _was _Chase but my demon name is Yeum." He said, and looked at Yoichi. "So you're the one who summoned me eh? What did you want?"

"Tell me why I'm here." Yoichi motioned around him. "Where are my Okaa-san and Otou-san? That's all I want to know. Is someone coming to get me out of this stupid place with these stupid children?" He asked, and Yeum nodded.

"The AAO is attacking, you're in a shelter. Your "Okaa-san" is fighting." Yoichi's face started to pale. If Mikan started to fight, then he knew that she would surely get hurt. "You're Otou-san is on his way to get you."

"Arigato Yeum." Yoichi said, and Yeum vanished. "Would you just shut up! I swear if you don't I'll summon all the demons I can think of and they'll stay here and murder you all." Yoichi yelled, causing the room to go silent. He sighed in content and leaned his head against the wall. The only sound that he could hear for about twenty minutes was the sobs of one girl. "It's going to be fine, no one's going to get us here, so just shut up and go to sleep and it'll all be over by the time you wake up." The sobbing stopped. There was a crack of light and someone entered the secret cave.

"Yoichi," A voice called out, everyone except Yoichi looked up in fright. The famous Kuro Neko was here.

"Otou-san," Yoichi cried with relief, running up and jumping into the boys arms.

"Hold on tight Yoichi, and don't say a word." Natsume said, running towards the door again. He flung it open and Yoichi's eyes widened as Natsume went jumping from tree to tree throughout the academy. Suddenly, a large explosion of purple covered the entire academy and he saw Natsume absorb an alice stone. He pursed his lips together to keep from inquiring what the alice was. Then, his vision became blurry, and the last thing he saw was Natsume frown behind his mask.

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_There they are._ Mikan thought, running towards where her friends where surrounded by AAO members. _Now I can fight them, or I can get this over with as soon as possible. Where's their leader? _She thought, freezing a handful of AAO members with her ice alice. Hotaru and Ruka both jogged over to her.

She then spotted someone who made her blood run cold. She turned to Hotaru and Ruka. "I'll see you again." She assured them before running towards the principal's office. She kicked open the door to find Reo and Narumi battling it out. It gave Mikan the creeps. It was just how it was three years ago.

"Ah Shiro Neko, or should I say Mikan?" Reo greeted. Mikan's hands shook as Narumi tried to cover her as men with guns came forwards. Mikan's eyes flashed and then suddenly she was holding an alice stone in her hand. "_Come with me, Mikan. You and your mother can take down this academy together and avenge your father's death._" Reo said, trying to use his alice, but was startled when nothing happened. "You stole my alice," He said in shock. Reo then started advancing towards her. "You little bit-"

"_Shut up!" _Mikan screamed, unleashing an explosion of the sleep alice, causing everyone in the office, and a few miles into the academy to drop to the floor. Mikan's hands wrung nervously as she stole everyone from the AAO's alice then picked up their guns, shooting them all before teleporting to her room. There, she found Natsume sitting on her bed reading a book while Yoichi slept next to him. Natsume looked up at her.

"Mikan, you should take your nullification alice back now," He told her, and Mikan shook her head.

"No, that one's for you, Natsume. I copied it and gave it to you to keep forever." She told him. Natsume smirked as Mikan took of her mask and threw it on the floor. She tossed her school id towards Natsume and he burned it to crisps.

"So I take it that explosion a couple minutes ago was you?" Natsume asked, and Mikan nodded tiredly.

"Reo was pissing me off. He was talking about my parent's betrayal and…" Mikan trailed off. She advanced towards Natsume. "If we're going to escape, we'd better do it now, while everyone within a ten mile radius is asleep and we both know that GA is bigger then a ten mile radius." Natsume picked Yoichi up off of the bed and handed Mikan a bag. "What's this?"

"Over ten million American money in cash, some extra clothes among other things." He told Mikan, and her jaw dropped.

"_What_?" She asked, and Natsume shrugged.

"Hotaru and I pooled all of our rabbits together and apparently Hotaru made an invention to convert it all into any currency and I picked America, I hope that's okay." He said, looking up at her. Mikan nodded and threw the bag over her shoulder, before grabbing both Natsume and Yoichi's hands. She needed contact with both of them in order to teleport correctly.

"So where in America should we go, Natsume?" Mikan questioned.

Natsume stared at her for a little while before saying, "Think of the most crowded place over there and that's where we'll go." Mikan nodded, and in a flash, they where gone.

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A woman with the nullification alice walked the halls of Gakuen Alice, clearly not amused when she had stepped into the principal's office to find several of her followers dead. She assumed that it was a DA member once she discovered that almost everyone in the academy was asleep. She at once began searching for the only two people that where sure to be awake: Her daughter and the Dangerous Ability child. She stopped outside of a Special Star room, restraining herself from barging in when she heard the word _'Mikan'_. She could barely hear the conversation but she could hear snippets of it.

_""Reo was pissing me off. He was talking about my parent's betrayal and…" Mikan trailed off.. "If we're going to escape, we'd better do it now, while everyone within a ten mile radius is asleep and we both know that GA is bigger then a ten mile radius."_ She heard a female voice, she assumed to me Mikan say. _So Reo was a blabber mouth ey? But she said that they where running away, but to where I wonder, and who is coming with? _Yuka inched her ear closer to the door, almost crying out in frustration when she would only hear whispers_. , "Think of the most crowded place over there and that's where we'll go."_ The male voice continued, and then there was a large flash of light. Yuka slammed the door open, frowning when she found the room empty, nothing but burned crisps of paper on the ground.

"Somewhere crowded…" Yuka said thoughtfully. "Now where would that girl go?"

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Mikan winced as Yoichi jerked awake and squirmed out of Natsume's arms. Both boys ran towards the bathroom stalls that Mikan had teleported them next to. _Maybe one day they'll get used to it_. She thought to herself. A few minutes later, Natsume came out frowning and Mikan smirked.

"You didn't have anything to throw up did you?" She asked, and Natsume shook his head, remembering earlier.

"You do know that you're in a men's restroom don't you?" He asked, and Mikan shrugged. And Yoichi came out of the stall, heading over to the sinks to wash his face off.

"Sure." Mikan said, almost unemotionally. Natsume's and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.

"You can smile now Mikan, for real this time, all of the time. We're safe. We're gone from them."

A smile broke out on Mikan's face. "I know." She told him. "But sometimes it's hard to break out habits, Natsume."

"Okaa-san, Otou-san, where are we?" Yoichi asked, tugging on Mikan's shirt. Mikan took opened the backpack on her shoulder and handed some change clothes to Yoichi and Natsume before getting some out for herself.

"Yoichi, in school you should've learned how to speak English, remember?" She asked, and Yoichi nodded hesitantly. He knew a little English, but couldn't write that well. Cursive was a pain.

"You're going to have to speak in only English from now on Yoichi. _And_… from now on Natsume is your big brother and I am a close family friend, okay? _And… _your name is Hayden Simon, _And…_ my name is Michelle Tinsley. _And…_ your _brother's_ name is Nathaniel Simon ." Yoichi's faced twisted up like he had just tasted a lemon, but he took the clothes from Mikan and marched into the stall, slamming the door. Natsume raised an eyebrow at Mikan.

"Did you throw enough information at him at once, _Michelle_?" He asked her sarcastically.

"Well, the bathroom is empty and I don't know when they'll start asking for stuff like IDs. It would be a little suspicious if a kid didn't know his last name, right? Now go change while I write some things up." Natsume trudged into the bathroom stalls while Mikan got out a pad of paper and activated her 'story alice'. The story alice, caused almost anything that the writer wrote to appear in mid air, unfortunately it couldn't force real life people to do things.

_And then three birth certificates, two unlimited credit cards, and a room key to The Palace Hotel appeared. _She wrote, and then suddenly, the six objects dropped to the ground in front of her. Mikan picked them up, shoving them into her backpack before writing one last thing. _Also, Hayden, Michelle, and Nathaniel got in rolled in a nearby private school. Their uniforms are in the closet at the hotel suite with all the rest of their clothes. _She closed the book and put it in her backpack before walking into one of the stalls and changing.

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"All students are accounted for sir, expect for three." The man told the main headmaster. The headmaster looked up sharply.

"Tell me who's missing." He demanded.

"Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuga, and Yoichi Hijiri, sir." He said before leaving.

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"Okay," Yoichi said sternly. "Can someone tell me why we suddenly teleported into a bathroom?! And why are we living in a hotel room now!" He exclaimed. It was about twenty minutes since Mikan had told him to change. All three kids had gotten changed and walked into this gigantic hotel where Mikan lead them up to a suite which she just 'magically' had the key to.

"Natsume, you, and I just escaped from Gakuen Alice, Yoichi. So that we could be safe from the Academy and the AAO. Right now, in private we can call each other by our real names, but we can't do that in public." She told him, walking over and kneeling down on one knee. "It's really important to stick to our story because there are GA's every where. I believe the one in America is called Alice Academy so you need to refrain from using your alice _and_ speaking in Japanese, that is at all times okay?" Yoichi nodded.

"Where are we, Mikan?" Natsume asked, and Mikan looked up to him, beaming.

"Manhattan, New York at the New York Palace Hotel." Natsume's mouth dropped open slightly, however Yoichi didn't seem as impressed, seeing as he didn't even know that New York existed. He did however, run out of questions, and had spotted the TV. He ran over and turned it on, looking for cartoons. Mikan slowly stood up, facing Natsume.

"Close your mouth, Natsume, before you catch a fly."

"You know, I learned English in school too." He told Mikan and she rolled her eyes.

"I know that, I'm in the same class as you, idiot. Even Yoichi knows a little bit, even if it's just a little." Mikan told him. Natsume put his hands on her waist and Mikan shrieked, pushing him backwards. "Get off of me you…you pervert!" Mikan exclaimed, she had a light tint of pink over her cheeks.

_Natsume is such a pervert._ She thought to herself. _No matter how much I liked it… it doesn't change the fact that Natsume's a pervert…although I want those hands back…bad Mikan! Bad!_

"But we're supposed to act like this Mikan." Mikan shook her head violently before stalking off towards the bathroom and slamming the door in Natsume's face.

"That's not true!" She called out, leaning against the door. She needed as much space from that boy as she could get. Natsume smirked.

"Oh really? Then why aren't we _all_ related Mikan? You could easily pass as my Fraternal Twin Mikan, all it would take is a little bit of dyed hair." Mikan's features softened.

"And if I didn't want to be your sister, but instead a close family friend, what would you think then, Natsume?" Mikan asked, opening the door slightly.

Natsume chuckled. "Then I would have to insinuate that you had a little thing for me Miss. Mikan and that you didn't want anything unnecessary, such as being "related" to stop us. So therefore, you made it so we weren't related."

Mikan stepped out, seemingly cooled down. "So what _if_ I said I had a thing for you? Hm? What would you do then?" She asked cheerfully.

_A thing, huh? _Natsume wondered. _Well, it's not love… yet. But I guess I'll have to teach this idiot how to love me._

"I'd have to kiss you." Natsume with a straight face. Yoichi smirked when he saw his two 'parents' now 'brother' and 'close family friend' feverishly kissing one another. He turned back to the tv, deciding to give them some privacy.

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The next morning, a teacher/ principal meeting was called. "We need to start searching for them. I knew letting that girl into this school was no good Narumi!" The elementary school principal said, glaring at Narumi.

"Mikan Sakura did miracles, and you know it Ryou." Jinno defended, shocking himself that he was actually sticking up for the girl who he had thought to be a nuisance from the start.  
"She took two students with her," Ryou growled out.

"How do you know that the AAO doesn't have them?" Persona asked, causing all the teachers to stare at him.

"We don't." A high school teacher replied.

"Then it's settled, we have to search the AAO to see if they have any information on them." Narumi told everyone. The headmaster nodded.

"Meeting dismissed."

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"Okay, you fifty have been charged with the task of looking for these two: Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuga. We have information that they are traveling to populated cities so we are sending you out. We have a list of 20 of the most populated cities in the world. I expect this group to split into two groups and spend six months in each city. Understand?" Yuka stared down at the group she had assembled to search for the two children she had heard talking. "I want them back _alive_. Kill anyone in your way." _The search for Natsume Hyuga and Mikan Sakura, begins._ She thought. _I wonder who will find them first, the AAO or GA. That depends __**if**__ one of us finds them_.

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um... the end?? oh of the first in the Fade to Black Series. So... what do you think? Was it a good way to move from one book to the other? Fade To Black: Hide and Seek? Ummm kay, so. I think that was the longest chapter I've ever written, so u no... i think i deserve some reviews ;p. Hit that 'Go' button!!

Love,

Baby


	13. Thanks, the sequel is on it's way

**Dear Readers,**

**I'm not very good at getting things done right away, so I guess you could call me a procrastinator. But, with the help of your reviews, I have finished the first part of this story and have already began writing the sequel! Now, I'm sure that the sequel will take much more longer to write because I **_**do**_** have other things to do this summer besides write. But for my first story I did do okay, ne? So… I'll give you a little snippit (that's a Gilmore girls word, my obsession Just in case you didn't know) of what I've written so far, and then I'll post the first chapter of the sequel to this story, ****Fade to Black: Hide and Seek****. Enjoy!**

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_." Mikan broke out into sobs, burying her head into Natsume's chest. _

"_If you don't want him to find us, then no one that we don't want to will find us." Natsume told her fiercely._

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_**Thank God**__, Natsume thought to himself. He didn't need another reason for those hormone driven boys in their grade to stare at Mikan any more than they did__**. Stupid American kids.**_

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_Yuka looked up, her face void of any expression. "This means that you where unsuccessful in Istanbul and Karachi." She stated. It wasn't a question, because she already knew the answer. If they had, those two kids would be unconscious and in her office. _

_The general looked down at his feet. "No mistress. Gomen, mistress." _

_"The group who just did their year's worth of searching can two months off. I expect them to be back here when that time is over." The general bowed before scampering out of the room. _

_"Mikan Sakura… come out, come out, where ever you are…"_

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**Okay… that was my first attempt at a preview! How'd I go? Eh…not so good huh? Well, that's okay. Any Q's and A's about the story lemme know! But for the one's I've already received…**

**Q: Will Ruka and Hotaru be in the next book, or not?**

**A: Of course! Even though the story is NatsumexMikan and Yoichi (it's not a triangle pairing though) centric piece, I can't leave out their awesome besties!**

**Q: Did you get the title from a song?**

**A:…. Eh? Maybe, I did. Sometimes I just subconsciously repeat things that I've heard with out realizing it. Kind of like babies. Does the title of this story remind me of a song? Let me know!**

**Q: What's going to happen next?**

**A: Oh boy… even I don't know the answer to that question! I mean, I do have some ideas… but of course! Lots more would help me a lot… (hint hint hint)**

**Okay…. That's enough torture… I'll go post and you'll go read. So… later minna!**

**Love,**

**Baby **


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